Aixtron

Aixtron SE is a German-based European technology company, which specialises in manufacturing metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) equipment, for clients in the semiconductor industry. The company's shares are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. AIXTRON is a constituent of the SDAX and TecDAX index.

Aixtron SE
TypeSocietas Europaea
FWB: AIXA
IndustrySemiconductor industry
Founded1983
HeadquartersHerzogenrath, Germany
Key people
Bernd Schulte (President), Felix J. Grawert (President), Kim Schindelhauer (Chairman of the Supervisory Board)
ProductsMetalorganic chemical vapour deposition equipment
Revenue€259.6 million (2019)[1]
€39.0 million (2019)[1]
€32.5 million (2019)[1]
Total assets€563.0 million (end 2019)[1]
Total equity€464.1 million (end 2019)[1]
Number of employees
688 (end 2019)[1]
Websitewww.aixtron.com

History

AIXTRON was founded as a spin-out industry from RWTH Aachen University in 1983.[2] The company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's now-defunct Neuer Markt, in November 1997.[3] Since going public the company has made several acquisitions, with the Scientific Equipment Division of the British company Thomas Swan & Co. and the Swedish chemical vapor deposition equipment maker Epigress AB both purchased in 1999.[4][5]

The company completed a €118 million merger with American rival Genus, Inc. in March 2005[6] and bought British nanomaterial developer Nanoinstruments Ltd., a company spun out from the University of Cambridge, in 2007.[7]

In December 2010 the company converted from a German Aktiengesellschaft to a Societas Europaea to reflect its European and international nature.

In October 2016 China’s Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund LP made a bid to purchase Aixtron. The proposed acquisition was tainted by collusion; shortly before Fujian Grand Chip made its public takeover bid, San’an Optoelectronics canceled a critical order from Aixtron on dubious grounds, sending its share price down for Fujian Grand Chips to make a less-expensive offer (both San’an Optoelectronics and Fujian Grand Chips are controlled by the same state-owned semiconductor fund).[8][9][10] As a result, Germany’s economics ministry withdrew the approval of the takeover.[11] In November 2016 the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) recommended both sides to drop their plan, because of national security concerns.[12]

In 2017 AIXTRON sold its ALD/CVD Memory Product line, produced in Sunnyvale (California, United States) to Eugene Technology from South Korea. AIXTRON said it continues to execute restructuring measures as well as to seek the establishment of partnerships for its OLED business in order to return to profitability in 2018, and to this end in October 2017 the OLED business became a separate company - APEVA SE.

On 24 October 2018 AIXTRON announced that it had signed a joint venture agreement with Korean company IRUJA Co. Ltd. to invest in APEVA, AIXTRON's subsidiary for OLED deposition technologies. Closing of the joint venture agreement is expected during 2018.[13]

Operations

In 2019, 68% of AIXTRON's revenues come from clients in Asia, with around 16% coming from Europe and the remaining 16% from the United States.[1] The company produces metalorganic chemical vapour deposition equipment, used for making a range of electronic and opto-electronic products containing compound, organic as well as nanotubes and nanofibers.[14]

Many AIXTRON systems use a "planetary reactor" process whereby gaseous semiconductor substances are deposited on revolving wafers,[15] while others utilise a Close Coupled "shower head" method of deposition.

Manufacturing sites are located in Herzogenrath near Aachen in Germany, and Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

References
  1. "Annual Report 2019" (PDF). Aixtron. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  2. "Double decade anniversary". III-Vs Review. Elsevier Science. 16 (6): 32. August 2003. doi:10.1016/S0961-1290(03)00782-8.
  3. Elston, Julie Ann (June 2002). "An Examination of the Relationship Between Firm Size, Growth and Liquidity in the Neuer Markt" (PDF). Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies. Economic Research Centre of the Deutsche Bundesbank. 2002 (15). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  4. "AIXTRON acquires Thomas Swan's Scientific Equipment Division" (Press release). Aixtron. September 1999. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  5. "AIXTRON acquires a 70% interest in Swedish CVD equipment manufacturer EPIGRESS" (Press release). Aixtron. October 1999. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  6. Brandt, Nadja (31 March 2005). "Aixtron Says Business Climate to Remain Difficult in 2005". Bloomberg. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  7. "Aixtron acquires UK co Nanoinstruments for undisclosed amount". AFX News. Forbes. 8 October 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  8. https://www.thebeltwayoutsiders.com/2017/01/the-outsider-perspective-issue-31/
  9. http://nyujilp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Zhang-PDF.pdf
  10. https://www.cfr.org/blog/why-does-everyone-hate-made-china-2025
  11. "Germany Withdraws Approval of Chinese Takeover of Aixtron". The Wall Street Journal. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  12. "Showdown Looms as U.S. Questions Chinese Deal for Aixtron". The New York Times. 19 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  13. "AIXTRON and IRUJA Co. Ltd. sign Joint Venture Agreement" (Press release). Aixtron. October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  14. "Product Overview". Aixtron. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  15. "Hoover's Profile: Aixtron Aktiengesellschaft". Hoover's. 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
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