Tuesday, June 23, 2009

AMAT Shuffles Joint Venture

Santa Clara-based Applied Materials reports that it has modified a joint venture the firm has with Japanese firm Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. According to Applied Materials, they have signed an agreement to modify the ownership structure of joint venture Sokudo Co., Ltd. AMAT has reduced its ownership to 19% of the joint venture, down from an original 48% interest. The move comes due to what AMAT describes as a "significantly weakened market" for semiconductor equipment, and an effort by Sokudo to "streamline" its operations.