SUSS MicroTec and BRIDG join forces to establish a production-level Applications Center in North America

Corona, Calif. and Kissimmee, Fla.; December 3, 2019 - SUSS MicroTec, leading supplier of equipment and process solutions for the semiconductor industry, announced today a far-reaching collaboration agreement with BRIDG, a not-for-profit, public-private partnership focused on production process technologies, advanced system integration, and 200mm microelectronics fabrication advancing next-generation nanoscale technology.

This partnership puts an unprecedented array of SUSS MicroTec equipment and fabrication technologies at the doorstep of its North American customer base, readily accessible for demonstrations and evaluations. SUSS equipment, onsite at BRIDG, spans a range of capabilities from advanced permanent bonding, temporary bonding and de-bonding to lithography and nano-imprinting and will fill vital needs in BRIDG's infrastructure for manufacturing and advanced R&D. Onsite support from SUSS MicroTec will combine with BRIDG's technical experts to enable process and product innovations for SUSS customers and BRIDG partners. Working within a manufacturing infrastructure enables customers to test new concepts in a real production environment, fully supported from concept to product commercialization.

"Access to high quality, advanced integration-enabling tools is a key component of the infrastructure BRIDG requires to unlock the next generation of speed, size, weight, and power optimization, and SUSS MicroTec has proven to be the ideal partner to bring those tools to BRIDG," stated Chester Kennedy, BRIDG CEO. "The unique tools manufactured by SUSS MicroTec will add capabilities to enable our customers to design systems at the absolute cutting edge of performance - faster, smaller, lighter, and using lower power - that allow customers to stay ahead of their competitors while having key systems components manufactured in the United States."

BRIDG is offering product development, prototyping and early-stage manufacturing services with 200mm (8-inch) wafer fab capabilities based within a 109,000-square-foot fab that includes cleanroom laboratory/manufacturing space of approximately 60,000 square feet. BRIDG is strategically located in Central Florida, in the heart of Osceola County's new technology district known as NeoCity, to capitalize on the collaboration between high-tech industries and universities while leveraging the strength of the Orlando region as Florida's focal point for technology development.

"As a technology innovator, SUSS MicroTec's decision to select Central Florida as the ideal location for hosting its North American customers contributes to the manifestation of the vision for BRIDG and NeoCity," said Fran Korosec, BRIDG Vice President of Program Management. "This partnership will play an integral role in BRIDG's performance, especially for our recently announced contract with the Department of Defense IBAS program."

"We are very pleased to be working side by side with a pioneering partner like BRIDG. This collaboration is a further step in our mission to expand as a systems and solutions provider and is part of our strategy 2025." said Franz Richter, CEO of SUSS MicroTec, "Our task is to move closer to our customers, understand their needs, offer solutions and make those solutions accessible, with the continual support of our knowledge and expertise."

Both companies plan to expand the relationship already established with the further installation of SUSS production tools to offer additional advanced manufacturing capabilities for 200mm wafer processing.

"We are not just offering a new application center for demonstrating SUSS equipment. By collaborating with BRIDG, we combine our strengths - the synergy resulting from our partnership is an enormous added value that our American customers will benefit from. We meet their requirements from A to Z by enabling direct access to facilities, technical innovation and professional management in a 200mm manufacturing environment," stated Gary Choquette, General Manager, SUSS MicroTec Inc.

About BRIDG:
BRIDG is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in advanced system integration and packaging, digital and RF silicon interposers, microelectronics production, and III-V materials growth for sensors, optoelectronics, and high-speed transistors. BRIDG offers production process technologies, R&D capabilities, and 200mm microelectronics fabrication geared toward system miniaturization, device integration, hardware security, and product manufacturing key to aerospace/defense, 5G and the IoT/AI revolution. Supported by Osceola County, University of Central Florida, Florida High Tech Corridor Council and others, BRIDG is an ITAR-certified and DMEA trust-ready supplier that provides the physical foundry infrastructure and collaborative process to connect challenges and opportunities with solutions; "Bridging the Innovation Development Gap" making commercialization possible. Located at NeoCity-a 500-acre master-planned community of innovation in Florida-BRIDG is centrally located 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and within a mile of Florida's Turnpike. Learn more at www.GoBRIDG.com.
Contact: Gloria LeQuang, Director, Marketing and Community Relations, Tel:  +1 407-742-4253

About SUSS MicroTec
SUSS MicroTec is a leading supplier of equipment and process solutions for microstructuring in the semiconductor industry and related markets. In close cooperation with research institutes and industry partners SUSS MicroTec contributes to the advancement of next-generation technologies such as 3D Integration and nanoimprint lithography as well as key processes for MEMS and LED manufacturing. With a global infrastructure for applications and service SUSS MicroTec supports more than 8.000 installed systems worldwide. SUSS MicroTec is headquartered in Garching near Munich, Germany. For more information, please visit www.suss.com
Contact: Hosgoer Sarioglu-Zoberbier, Director Corporate Marketing, Tel: +49 89 32 007 397, email: [email protected]