Universal Instruments (UIC) is to provide SMD placement capabilities at Heraeus service centers in Hanau/Germany and Suzhou/China and to train the technical staff at each location. The equipment will be used by Heraeus to test own products and processes as well as strengthening its sales presentations. Similarly, Universal will use the advanced process facilities of the service centers to train its own customers. This is part of a technology co-operation and resource-sharing agreement. UIC’s European director Brad Bennett explained, “Both companies are able to enhance customer support by increasing training resources at conveniently located centers, testing products and processes on leading equipment, and by sharing technical expertise and strategic marketing knowledge.” And Gerhard Kirchner, business unit manager for Heraeus SMT Materials, added: “The objective of this agreement is to help customers understand and practice new techniques as we bring advanced materials, technologies and processes to market faster and at lower cost”. Furthermore, UIC and Hitachi High Technologies (HHT) have renewed their OEM agreement for another five years. HHT acquired Sanyo High Technologies, Universal’s original OEM partner. The partnership has been lucrative for both companies, enhancing UIC’s product portfolio with high-speed placement technology while affording HHT an extensive sales and support network. Since being founded in 1989, this agreement has resulted in more than 1200 platforms sold. Extending the agreement until 2009 will allow further joint efforts to continue. These include recent line-software development work, and may extend to additional joint projects, technology transfers, etc. Heinz Dommel of UIC said, “We continue to make HHT’s best-in-class, turret-style, high-speed placement technology available to a global market by leveraging Universal’s worldwide sales and support infrastructure. The HSP is the perfect complement to our flexible fine-pitch technologies”.
EPP EUROPE 410
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