INTEKPLUS, a specialist in visual inspection equipment, will supply package inspection equipment to the world-class semiconductor company. The order receipts in the past 6 months alone amounted to 10 billion won. The sole supplier status is expected to continue for 10 years.
On the 4th, Sangyoon Lee, CEO of INTEKPLUS, said, "In October last year, we were selected as a sole supplier of package inspection equipment by a global semiconductor company. The orders for only 6 months received by this client have reached 10 billion won." And he added, "We expect to receive additional orders worth 5 billion won for the rest of this year."
INTEKPLUS signed a contract to supply Large Form Factor (LFF) devices for servers to the company in November 2017. In October last year, the company was also secured as the sole supplier of the Small-Mid Form Factor (SMFF) equipment for clients. The figure of 10 billion won is the sum of the two fields. According to INTEKPLUS, the demand for package inspection equipment for clients is six times that of server products. The package inspection equipment for servers and the device for clients are the same. The first deal with the client was a contract to supply bump testing inspection equipment in 2016.
CEO Lee Sangyoon said, "The semiconductor package inspection equipment business has raised 10 billion won in sales even during its sluggish period. This year, this division's sales will reach 25 billion won." This is the figure calculated by adding the existing semiconductor package inspection equipment sales of 10 billion won to the sales of 15 billion won from the particular client. He emphasized, "We will easily surpass 25 billion won in sales, which has not been exceeded for several years."
INTEKPLUS is expected to maintain its position as a sole supplier for around 10 years. Prior to INTEKPLUS, each of the two companies that supplied the package inspection equipment for clients provided supplies for more than 10 years. And they reached the number one spot in the market share by expanding the client base. INTEKPLUS is also determined to become the world's top company. CEO Lee Sangyoon predicted, "We will be able to steadily raise our sales without competition for over 10 years thanks to the exclusive supply to the client, and we will be able to supply to other leading companies in reference to this deal."
Once the foldable phone market blooms, it will significantly benefit INTEKPLUS. A flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) is installed in foldable phones. CEO Lee said, "Flexible products are characterized by their softness. So, when a person directly inspects it, damage occurs. Thus, strict and automated inspection equipment is critical." The company is proud to have acquired all of the original technologies related to high-speed 3D inspection, 2D inspection, automated equipment design and production, and high-speed image acquisition and processing required for the implementation of visual inspection equipment. They have 168 patents applications and registrations at home and abroad.
'Triple-Foldable' phones also add to the expectation. When such a foldable phone is spread out, it becomes the size of a tablet, making the required OLED to triple. The increase in demand for inspection equipment is inevitable. "In the past, we could use the normal part in case of some defects in three OLEDs. However, in the future, the whole OLED product must be disposed of for a partial defect. Thus, the need for accurate testing equipment increases," CEO Lee emphasized.
INTEKPLUS expects demand for the visual inspection equipment to increase in the secondary battery, automobile, and biotechnology fields and is developing and commercializing products in the fields. The company believed that the business diversification has succeeded and has also reorganized the divisions. Business Division 1 is for the existing semiconductor package inspection equipment, Division 2 is for the mid-end wafer inspection equipment, Division 3 is for the OLED inspection equipment, and Division 4 is for the automation business.
Founded in 1995, INTEKPLUS is headquartered in Daejeon. It was listed on the KOSDAQ in 2011. The company recorded sales of 16.1 billion won and an operating loss of 8.3 billion won last year. Semiconductors accounted for 50%, displays for 30%, and rechargeable batteries for 9% of the total sales. R & D engineers are 88, accounting for 51% of the 173 employees of the company.