NexTech Solutions, Inc. (PinkSheet: NXSL) is an advanced metrology and automation solutions manufacturer primarily serving the global semiconductor, flat panel display (FPD) and medical industries. Targeting large, fast-growing markets, the Company specializes in technology development, "productization," and marketing of metrology tools and automation equipment solutions.
Revenues for the first quarter of 2007 were $1,558,941 with a net income of $611,070. The first quarter of 2007 reflects a record quarter for sales of the Company's automated optical inspection (AOI) systems.
The company's revenues increased primarily due to revenues from sales of the NexTStar NanoScan™ G4 (AOI) system introduced for high-performance applications.
In a brief period of time, NexTech Solutions has amassed a highly-proficient business, scientific and engineering team with expertise in identifying emerging technology applications and developing marketable solutions. NexTech's engineering and design capabilities make it possible for them to move quickly and cost-effectively from design to development to production.
NexTech, with its people, technologies, products, is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of the emergent FPD (flat panel display) and semiconductor metrology market by developing and introducing the exact products this double-digit annual growth market demands.
A quick rundown of corporate developments and breakthroughs over the last 5 years will clearly define NexTech Solutions’ powerful position for industry leading growth going into 2008.
In 2003, NexTech introduced the first of a series of flexible solutions in fully automated wafer loading EFEMs (Equipment Front-End Modules), featuring the Titan robot. The Titan robot is a completely re-designed, next-generation 3-axis, R-Theta-Z robot, and provided NexTech with an important first step in the strategy to own key technology components of EFEMs and integrated metrology equipment.
Then, NexTech acquired the Metron Technology Advanced Reticle Management System (ARMS) engineering design team in Austin, Texas, headed by Dr. J. Darrell McCauley, Ph.D. Dr. McCauley brought a wealth of engineering management and design expertise to the expanding technical talent pool of NexTech, where Dr. McCauley directed the design and development of a fully automated OCR wafer automation platform.
Soon, NexTech announced the release of the Pegasus series, a fully automated OCR wafer automation platform. The Pegasus OCR wafer automation platform provides the basis for advanced silicon and reticle substrate handling and management systems and is a key component in NexTech's fully automated substrate management solutions.
Automation Solutions
Pegasus Series / The 2200i 200-mm wafer sorter is a fully-automated host controlled substrate management tool that combines best-in-class software, robotics, I/O, and OCR. The NexTech Titan 105 robot, with high response brushless motors and Harmonic® drive, delivers high speed, precision, and reliability. The NexTech Pegasus Wafer Sorter Series provides standards-compliant user and automation interfaces.
NexTech then began to implement the integration of specific metrology components into automation product offerings. C. E. Thomas, Ph.D and Xiaoming Chen, Ph.D were added to the NexTech technical staff to support the development effort and to augment NexTech's expertise in optical physics.
By the end of 2003, NexTech announced the exclusive worldwide product sales rights to the Eutecnics PDS 1020 particle detection system for semiconductor reticles, including the technology, product development and manufacturing rights.
Metrology Products
The PDS 1020, now branded the NexTech Aludra™, is a light scattering based particle detection system capable of detecting surface-sitting particles on both the glass and pellicle surfaces of semiconductor reticles in the 2.0µ to 20.0µ range.
2004 brought the continuing development of the optical and software technology required to fulfill NexTech’s vision for industry leadership in optical metrology products.
In the beginning of 2004, NexTech made two significant new product announcements. The first was the ORION, a fully automated reticle inspection system for stand-alone applications within semiconductor wafer fabs.
The second was the announcement of the NexTStar™, the first of a new series of advanced AOI tools for FPD inspection.
The NexTStar™ Automated Optical Inspection System represents breakthrough performance in FPD pattern, particle, and processing defect detection. State-of-the-art imaging technology provides high-speed, high-resolution data acquisition and image processing.
The NexTStar AOI system is capable of detecting defects as small as 300 nanometers on G2, G3, G4 and larger substrates.
Quickly following the NexTStar™, the Company announced the development of the FPDStar™, an automated optical inspection system for larger FPD panels G5, G6, G7 and G8 in size.
FPDStar™
Both of NexTech Solutions’ NexTStar™ and FPDStar™ Automated Optical Inspection Systems represent breakthrough performance in FPD pattern, particle, and processing defect detection.
Starting in 2005, the NexTech engineering team set about to develop a technology to make sub-micron pattern defect detection an optional feature available on either the NexTStar or FPDStar AOI systems. Christened the ‘NanoScan’, this sub-micron inspection technology allows FPD/ TFT manufacturer’s to identify patterned defects as small as 300 nanometers.
By the 1st quarter of 2006, NexTech received its first order for a G4 NexTStar NanoScan™ for installation in Japan. Revenues for fiscal 2006 (ending 12/31) were $1,439,213 with a net loss of $1,093,261.
However, revenues for the first quarter of 2007 exceeded all 4 quarters of ’06, with 1st Q. 2007 audited revenues of $1,558,941 delivering a net income of $611,070.
The first quarter of 2007 reflects a record quarter for sales of the company's automated optical inspection (AOI) systems. The company's revenues increased primarily due to revenues from sales of the NexTStar NanoScan(TM) G4 (AOI) system introduced for high-performance applications.
Significant Merger
NexTech Solutions and FAS Technologies
NexTech and FAS have announced plans to combine the two companies in a two step merger transaction and fully consolidate operations following necessary approvals of stockholders and regulatory authorities, which is expected shortly.
NexTech Solutions, Inc., with offices in Austin, TX and San Mateo (Silicon Valley), CA and FAS Technologies, LLC, with offices in Dallas and Tokyo are jointly doing business under the name "NexTech FAS".
FAS Technologies, LLC
Headquarters
10480 Markison Road
Dallas, Texas 75238
Website: www.FAS.com
FAS Technologies, LLC is a pioneering company widely recognized in the industry for the development of digital fluid dispensing a patented spinless coating technology known as "FAS-Coat," which has become the de-facto standard in the coating process of FPD substrates during manufacture.
The company is engaged in the design, development, manufacture, integration, sale and servicing of advanced, high-precision coating systems for the microelectronics industry. The application of precise coatings of process fluids is an essential step in the manufacture of a wide variety of microelectronic products.
FAS Technologies has over 40 patents issued and pending, including numerous pending patents in the United States, Japan, South Korea and China and the rights to over 100 other patents.
FAS' proprietary coating technology allows a single technology platform (a “FAS-Coat™ system”) to provide the essential coating operations pervasively in four key markets:
- Flat-panel displays (“FPDs”), for both computer
- applications and high-definition television applications
- Silicon wafers (“Semiconductor”)
- High-density interconnects (“HDI”)
- Micro-electro-mechanical-systems (“MEMS”)
FAS Technologies has worked with high-precision fluid filtration and delivery systems for the microelectronics industry since 1988 in the United States and since 1990 in Japan, through its agent and later through its own affiliate, FAS Asia (formerly FAS Japan).
From 1988 until 1997, FAS was engaged in the manufacture and sale of a patented, high-precision, digitally controlled dual-stage pump that continues to be widely used by leading manufacturers in coating and related applications.
The Company believes that over 90% of all personal computers sold today have components manufactured using FAS-developed pump technology. This vast success in the pump market segment served to familiarize customers with the quality and innovation of FAS products, a reputation the Company is presently utilizing in the much larger extrusion coating equipment systems market.
FAS has developed its advanced extrusion-coating technology since 1991 with internal funding and with funding and research support by U.S. and foreign research organizations that have included the United States Display Consortium, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), the National Science Foundation, Sematech, Sandia National Laboratories and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan.
Association with these organizations has significantly lowered the FAS Technologies’ development costs and has allowed the Company to establish close working relationships with the senior technical personnel of leading manufacturers and users of microelectronics manufacturing equipment.
Over 40 patents issued and patents pending
- Extrusion Coating For Moving Head Systems
- Dual Stage Pump
- U.S. PATENT: 5,167,837
- U.S. PATENT: 5,516,429
- U.S. PATENT: 5,772,899
- U.S. PATENT: 6,105,829
- U.S. PATENT: 6,109,881
- U.S. PATENT: 6,325,932
- U.S. PATENT: 6,251,293
- U.S. PATENT: 6,419,841
- Extrusion Coating For Wafer Applications
- U.S. PATENT: 6,495,205
- U.S. PATENT: 6,548,115
- System and Method for Adjusting a Working Distance to Correspond with the Work Surface
- Intelligent Control of Extrusion Coating Systems
- U.S. PATENT: 6,475,282
- U.S. PATENT: 6,319,316
- System and Method for Interchangeably Interfacing Wet Components with a Coating Apparatus
- System and Method for Priming an Extrusion Head
- Extrusion Coating Method
MANAGEMENT
NexTech Solutions, Inc.
Tony Di Napoli, President and Chief Executive Officer
Tony Di Napoli has over 23 years of semiconductor manufacturing and capital equipment related experience. Technical and technical management positions held at Perkin-Elmer, National Semiconductor, Philips Semiconductor and AMD. Mr. Di Napoli was founder and C.E.O. of Progressive Systems Technology, and is the holder of 5 technical patents. Founded in 1991, PST was a high-tech equipment company serving both semiconductor and flat panel display (FPD) industries. PST listed in the INC. top 500 privately held companies two consecutive years, with a ranking of #86 in the second year. Mr. Di Napoli has been the recipient of numerous awards, including Austin, Texas High Tech Entrepreneur of the Year in 1997. In June of 1999, Mr. Di Napoli sold PST to Asyst Technologies, a NASDAQ listed company. Mr. Di Napoli became Global Vice President of Sales at Asyst Technologies in June, 1999 and held that position until March of 2002. Mr. Di Napoli founded NexTech Solutions, Inc. in the 2nd Quarter of 2002.
David A. Torres, Vice President, Worldwide Sales
David Torres has over 27 years of semiconductor fabrication and capital equipment related experience. Mr. Torres has held senior level product marketing management and capital equipment sales management positions at Fairchild Semiconductor, Memorex Corporation, and Quartz International Corporation. Co-founder, Motion Automation Systems, Inc. Founded in 1996, Motion Automation Systems was a high-tech wafer handling equipment company serving the semiconductor industry. Mr. Torres held the position of Vice President, Sales & Marketing from MAS's founding in 1996 until December 2002. Mr. Torres has been the recipient of numerous achievement awards, including Sales Rep of the Year, New Account Rep of the Year, and Regional Sales Manager Excellence Awards. In the 1st Quarter of 2003, Mr. Torres joined the NexTech management team as a co-founding member.
