News

2 February 2007

Aviza’s quarter revenues more than double year-on-year

For its fiscal first-quarter 2007 (to end-December), process equipment maker Aviza Technology Inc of Scotts Valley, CA, USA has reported revenues of $62.2m (up 19.6% sequentially and 114.9% year-on-year). The growth is due to increased demand from major DRAM customers and continued penetration of etch and PVD systems, the firm says, coupled with the conversion from ‘new technology’ to ‘proven technology’ of its Deep Silicon (DSi) etch module (for system-in-package, wafer-level packaging and conventional MEMS production), in accordance with the company's revenue recognition policy.

Income from operations was $2.7m (up from $752,000 last quarter and a loss of $3m a year ago). Net income was $1.1m (up from $779,000 last quarter and a loss of $4.6m a year ago). The improvement is mainly due to an improvement in product mix, Aviza says.

“We once again exceeded our revenue guidance, and this marks the fourth consecutive quarter in which we have demonstrated an increase in revenue,” said president and CEO Jerry Cutini.

“We achieved continued penetration of our atomic layer deposition products and augmented our ALD relationships, as well as identified key opportunities in the power IC, wafer-level packaging and memory IC markets to increase our revenue channels,” Cutini adds. During the quarter, Aviza received an order from a leading DRAM maker for its Celsior next-generation single-wafer atomic layer deposition (ALD) system, to be installed at its US-based facility for fabricating 90nm DRAM devices on 200mm wafers. Aviza also announced a joint development agreement to use its ALD hardware with the expertise of BOC Edwards (now The Linde Group) in chemical precursor formulation, in order to optimize deposition processes for high-k materials and metals.

“Additionally, we enhanced our R&D resources, both externally and internally,” adds Cutini. Aviza was awarded a multi-year grant of about £1.2m ($2.2m) from the Welsh Assembly Government's Regional Selective Assistance program. This will enable Aviza to further develop and strengthen its plan to invest £6.4m over a multi-year period to enhance research, development and engineering capabilities at its facility in Newport, Wales, UK, complementing R&D efforts in Scotts Valley.

For its fiscal second-quarter 2007, Aviza expects revenues of $60-64m, with operating income of $2.5-3.0m.

Visit: http://www.avizatechnology.com