Taiwan-based Gudeng Precision Industrial, a semiconductor front-end equipment manufacturer specializing in mask solutions and wafer handling tools, has expressed optimism that its business will grow further in 2021 after its revenues rose 5.45% on year to a new high of NT$2.504 billion (US$89.43 million) in 2020.
Gudeng chairman Bill Chiu said the firm's shipments of EUV pods will continue to grow robustly in 2021 along with increasing adoption of ASML's EUV lithography systems by leading foundries TSMC, Intel and Samsung. Chiu said ASML is estimated to ship at least 40 units of EUV equipment this year after recording aggregate sales of 100 units as of the end of 2020.
Chiu said Gudeng is enforcing capacity expansion for EUV pods at its plant in Tainan, southern Taiwan, able to satisfy ever-expanding demand from global clients. He continued the company will expand capacity for mask and wafer handling solutions at its plant in Tucheng, northern Taiwan after Lunar New Year.
Chiu also disclosed Gudeng has cut into the supply chains for both 8-inch and 12-inch wafer foundries in China with its wafer pods and cassettes, with order visibility clear through the second quarter of the year.
Gudeng now commands over 80% of the global supply of EUV pods as it is the major supplier of such devices for TSMC, which has dominated the 7/5nm foundry processes, according to industry sources.
