ATMI's sales up 23% over 2000

Isonics switches silicon-28 supplier Isonics C o r p (Golden, CO, USA) is continuing efforts to commercialise isotopically pure silicon-28 wafers (which have superior heat transfer properties than natural silicon), despite a b r e a k d o w n in its 1999 alliance with Eagle-Picher T e c h n o l o g i e s LLC (Joplin, MO, USA) to p r o d u c e bulk wafers.

m e n t s related to the DZ business. Isonics is considering binding arbitration for a "significant amount of damages." Isonics is n o w moving ahead with another R&D partnership in Russia to develop techniques for isotopically pure silicon-28. Production has recently b e e n demonstrated using an

segments o f our target market for silicon-28 prime bulk wafers and will be in an improved cost position for our present silicon28 epitaxial wafer products:' says Alexander. "We are negotiating an order for replacement of the 200 kg that Eagle-Picher failed to deliver, as

ATM I's sales up 23% over 2000 For Q1/2001 ("the first full quarter of this s e m i c o n d u c t o r industry d o w n t u r n " , says CEO Gene Banucci), revenues for ATMI Inc (Danbury, CT, USA)

well as several additional tons to

w e r e US$77.3m (up 23% o n Q1/2000 but d o w n 11% on

more aggressively pursue our sil-

Q4/2000).

In D e c e m b e r 1999, Isonics sold its d e p l e t e d zinc (DE) business

advanced version of the proven Russian gas centrifuge, but with

icon-28 prime wafer program"

to Eagle-Picher and made a deal for 200 kg of Si-28 for delivery

several times the production capacity and capable of using a

A previous c o m m i t m e n t to sign

is n o w US$4.9m (rather than

in 2000. Eagle-Picher p l a n n e d to set u p a pilot line to pro-

more c o n v e n i e n t chemical form of silicon as raw material

licensing or joint-development

the US$6m a n n o u n c e d previ-

pacts for silicon-28 wafers w i t h

duce 3-5 tons of material a year in return for 18% of Isonics, but

than was used previously.

major m i c r o p r o c e s s o r manufac-

ously). Speeding the rationalisation of businesses acquired

turers was still on track to hap-

over several years will cut 10%

p e n before April 30, he reckons.

of staff.

"As a result o f this manufactur-

ATMI's net restructuring charge

in February Isonics cancelled Eagle-Picher's 3.1m shares.

ing breakthrough and n e w cost structure [a combination o f low-

If Eagle-Picher "mitigate their

But "the n e x t t w o quarters will

Isonics president and CEO

er silicon-28 isotope cost and

damages to Isonics", Isonics

b e weaker than originally fore-

James E Alexander accused Eagle-Picher of failing to deliver

reduced costs to convert the sil-

will have multiple sources o f

cast" (see Issue 2, page 19).

icon-28 into polysilicon metal],

supply for silicon-28."Competi-

ATMI e x p e c t s another 10-20%

"any o f the p r o m i s e d silicon-28

w e believe w e will be able to

tion b e t w e e n suppliers should

drop in sales in Q2, before a flat

wafers" and failing to make pay-

meet cost targets for certain

further reduce isotope cost."

Q3 and a marked u p t u r n in Q4.

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