Applied Materials, Inc. has agreed to increase its investment in BE Semiconductor Industries N.V. (Besi) to approximately 20 percent of Besi’s outstanding shares, reinforcing the companies’ strategic partnership in advanced packaging.
The companies’ strategic collaboration began in 2020 and was recently expanded with Besi joining Applied Materials’ EPIC Center as an Innovation Partner. Their work now extends beyond hybrid bonding into new interconnect architectures and applications supporting the semiconductor industry’s AI-driven scaling roadmap.
Areas of collaboration include next-generation 3D IC scaling, logic and memory integration, scaling of thermo-compression bonding, and die-on-wafer, die-on-die and die-on-panel integration platforms. Applied Materials said it views its investment in Besi as long term and currently has no intention to increase it beyond approximately 20 percent or seek board representation at Besi.
“Applied Materials is adding to its investment in Besi as hybrid bonding technology and next-generation interconnect architectures become increasingly critical enablers of energy-efficient AI compute performance,” said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. “We also look forward to furthering our strategic collaboration with Besi and delivering the innovative products and technologies our customers need to scale AI systems.”
Applied Materials has entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement for the Besi shares. Delivery is subject to the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.
