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Hungarian chip metrology company Semilab Ltd. has combined its three Massachusetts operations into one facility in Billerica, where the company has established its U.S. headquarters under the name Semilab USA.
Tapped for the role of president and CEO of Semilab USA is Chris Moore, who has been running Semilab AMS since the Hungarian parent acquired Natick-based Advanced Metrology Systems LLC in March. Around the same time, Semilab bought QC Solutions Inc. of Billerica, and the two companies, along with a local sales office, have moved in together.Semilab USA has 57 employees, about 20 in Massachusetts.
In addition to having a new combined U.S. operating company, Semilab has also bought a Tampa, Fla.-based metrology company, Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc. With the newly named Semilab SDI LLC in Tampa, Semilab USA now has six operating units, including the three in Massachusetts, Semilab SSM in Pittsburgh, and another sales office in California.
Semilab, founded in 1990, makes technology primarily to measure materials used in the manufacturing of chips. According to Moore, it serves three major customer areas: academic and institutional research, semiconductor manufacturers and photovoltaic and solar cell manufacturers.
Right now, Moore says, the chip market is very tight because of lower demand for electronics because of the worldwide recession. So Semilab’s largest customer segment is the photovoltaic market, and the company has a number of large manufacturers as clients, including one here in Massachusetts whom Moore declined to name. Moore sees that sector continuing to grow.
“For us, in particular, thin-film photovoltaic is a targeted sector, so we see a significant growth opportunity there,” Moore said.
Gartner Inc. forecasts 73 percent growth for thin-film solar between 2008 and 2012. Crystalline silicon-based solar cell manufacturing is expected to reach 13 gigawatts sold by 2012, whereas thin-film PV could reach about 4.5 gigawatts.
The company may not be done buying metrology companies, Moore said. “We are quite financially stable so we have the luxury of being able to buy in what is a buyer’s market,” Moore said. “I am not working on an active deal right this minute, however.”
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