Professional semiconductor solution provider Spirox Corporation (TWSE: 3055) held a board meeting today, approving the investment in the emerging digital optics solution provider Southport Corporation. The investment in Southport will be carried out in two phases, with a total estimated investment of about NTD 2.9 billion. Spirox is set to acquire approximately 95% of Southport’s shares through this investment.
Spirox was primarily focused on the distribution of semiconductor testing equipment, and has proactively developed its own-brand to address the uncertainty in distribution caused by geopolitical changes. The investment in Southport will further expand Spirox’s product portfolio of own-brand products, entering the optical field. The core 5D microscopy technology and digital optical technology of Southport, combined with Spirox’s existing semiconductor equipment sales and service team, enable a quicker entry into the current and future optical markets. This includes non-destructive internal defect inspection of compound semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), non-contact μLED illumination and leakage detection, Metalens phase imaging, defects inspection in perovskite, and Fourier microscopy based on digital optical technology.
Spirox says that by entering the compound semiconductor and optical market, Spirox will have better profitability, especially the electric vehicle market has driven a significant increase in demand for SiC/GaN and other components, the current output of SiC ingot and substrate is far from meeting the market demand, through the non-destructive internal defect inspection technology and equipment of Southport, compound semiconductor customers can reduce the waste of output caused by destructive etching method, and can early detect the material defects in the manufacture process to adjust the process to improve the yield.
Spirox will invest in Southport in two phases. In the first phase, Spirox will participate in Southport 's cash capital increase, investing about NTD 108 million to obtain about 51% of the equity of Southport after the capital increase. After Southport completes the performance goals set by Spirox, the second phase investment will be launched and investing NTD 186 million. The total amount of the two phases of investment is about NTD 294 million, and it is expected to obtain a total of 95% of the equity of Southport.
About Spirox
Spirox Corporation (TWSE: 3055) is a professional semiconductor testing solution provider in the Great China. Partnered with worldwide leading suppliers, including AFORE, ERS, Hamamatsu, NI, TASMIT, SEMICS, ShibaSoku, Southport, Toray Engineering, Turbodynamics, etc., Spirox provides various integrated solutions to fulfill customer needs in testing, packaging, and inspection in semiconductor industry. Founded in 1987, Spirox is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, with additional service branches in Kaohsiung, Shanghai, Suzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Chengdu. For more information, please visit www.spirox.com.
