7 October 2011

Voltaix opens Shanghai sales & technical/customer office

Voltaix LLC of Branchburg, NJ, USA, which manufactures specialty materials that enhance the performance and manufacturability of semiconductors and photovoltaics, has established a sales and technical/customer support office in Shanghai, China.

Yun Liu, Asian business manager and Voltaix’s first employee in China, will be responsible for executing regional sales and marketing initiatives. With an MBA from the University of Ottawa as well as Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Shanghai University, over the past five years he has held various positions with a large industrial gas company, driving growth in solar, semiconductor and TFT applications.

The new office will allow for expanded sales & marketing staffing. “Sustainable growth of Voltaix chemistries in China for solar and semiconductor applications is expected to continue well into the future,” says Greg Muhr, director, global sales & marketing.

Using expertise in silicon, germanium and boron chemistry, Voltaix manufactures electronics products including germane, diborane, trisilane, and trimethyl boron, using proprietary synthesis, purification, and packaging technology developed in-house, as well as designing and building its own equipment for use in its manufacturing operations. Products are custom designed for demanding applications including advanced DRAM computer memory; silicon germanium (SiGe) transistors for wireless communications chips; strained silicon for high-speed logic computer chips (CPUs); copper-enabling low-k dielectrics for computer chips; and high-efficiency thin-film silicon solar cells. Voltaix claims that its materials improve manufacturability by minimizing defect formation and increasing machine throughput.

“We felt the need to bring resources closer to our distribution partners and end users to provide timely technical and customer support,” says Muhr. “Voltaix’s decision to expand into China illustrates our commitment to better understanding the market in China.”

Voltaix agrees exclusive germanium supply deal with Sparton

Voltaix has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with mineral exploration development and production firm Sparton Energy Inc of Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the purchase of all germanium production from the Huajun Mine in Yunnan Province, China. The MOU contemplates an investment by Voltaix of $4.2m in a series of advances related to milestones in the development of the Huajun operations.

“As the world’s leading germane producer, securing our germanium supply is critical. This relationship allows us to continue to provide our customers with the highest levels of supply chain security by giving Voltaix an exclusive source of significant germanium reserves,” says executive VP Mark Wilkinson. “This also represents a win for the local workers at Huajun, who will be re-employed once the mining license is granted,” he adds.

“Sparton is delighted to establish this unique long-term relationship with Voltaix and become a supplier of one of the primary components necessary for its leading-edge technology products,” comments Sparton’s president Lee Barker. “Local germanium concentrate prices at Lincang have almost doubled within the past year, and we look forward to resuming production of this specialty metal.”

The MOU contemplates deliveries of germanium dioxide (GeO2) by Huajun to Voltaix over the life of the strategic supply agreement (SSA). The advances are to be recouped through deliveries of GeO2 pursuant to the SSA. The price for the product is based on a blended formula related to actual processing and refining costs and local market pricing for GeO2. The advances are to be used for several purposes, including additional safety upgrades and efficiency improvements that will increase production rates.

The Huajun Mine is in the final stages of having a new mining licence issued. At full capacity, it employs about 400 people. The mine has completed all necessary safety and security upgrades to meet new Chinese regulatory requirements, and reactivation of operations will begin immediately after the licence is received.

Tags: Voltaix Germanium SiGe

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