Trikon Technologies, the Welsh process equipment manufacturer, has announced that it will reduce its staff numbers by 20% as part of a payroll reduction programme. Details of the cuts were discussed with staff at the end of August and will be finalised by September 30, 2002. The aim is to reduce quarterly operating costs by $4mn a year. Nigel Wheeler, president and CEO, said that the present poor market conditions with no visible recovery were the key factors in the decision. The cuts will affect all areas of the company with 400 staff worldwide.

IQE released more details of its "comprehensive strategic review" of
operations, reporting a further 60 redundancies bringing the company's total
workforce to 310 in Q3.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries is to close its substrate operations in
California due to the extended downturn in the semiconductor industry. K&S
acquired the X-LAM substrate technology in January 1999, opened a
development facility in Milpitas later that year, and renamed it "K&S
Substrates". The technology enables production of BGA substrates and boards
at line widths of 32microns and below by applying thin, high density
multi-layer laminates to a core.
C Scott Kulicke, chairman and chief executive officer, reports: "While our
substrate operation was intended to be a key component in the company's
strategy of supplying assembly solutions in the advanced interconnect space,
it is highly capital intensive and requires on-going cash infusions. In
today's volatile semiconductor industry, the most pressing issue is assuring
the long term financial strength of K&S. Therefore, the fiscally prudent
course of action is to terminate the venture at this time."