AlliedSignal To Acquire Southwest Microelectronic Materials

AlliedSignal, Inc. (Morris Township, NJ) announced on Dec. 21, 1998, that its specialty chemicals business will purchase Southwest Microelectronic Materials Inc. (Chandler, AZ). Terms of the transaction were not announced.

Southwest Microelectronic Materials specializes in formulating proprietary solvents, acids and etchants used in manufacturing semiconductor devices. The company, which operates a high-purity chemical production facility in Chandler and employs 17 people, will become part of the specialty chemicals electronic chemicals group.

"Purchasing Southwest Microelectronic Materials supports our strategy to rapidly grow our electronic chemicals business," says Norbert Dieterich, VP and general manager of chemical specialties. "The acquisition enables us to immediately increase our production capacity and sales, broaden our customer base, and add to our electronic chemicals management team's expertise in the global semiconductor industry."

Dieterich said the additional production capacity will help support the recently announced alliance between AlliedSignal and Air Products Electronic Chemicals. Through this arrangement, AlliedSignal will be the exclusive manufacturer of a line of electronic process chemicals marketed by Air Products.

AlliedSignal's electronic chemicals group currently has production facilities in Seelze, Germany; Muskegon, MI; and Geismar, LA. The electronic chemicals group is a global custom manufacturer and supplier of high-purity wet process chemicals used in the global semiconductor industry. It is part of the company's $1.6 billion specialty chemicals business, a global custom manufacturer and supplier of specialty and fine chemical products for a diverse range of applications.

For more information, call 800-810-4340 or 973-455-6073.