ClassOne Equipment Achieves Milestone in Refurbished Semiconductor and MEMS Equipment Market

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - Jul 28, 2011) - ClassOne Equipment announced that it has achieved an industry milestone in the refurbished Semiconductor and MEMS equipment market with the recent sale of its 150th mask aligner to the Smart System Technology & Commercialization Center (STC), part of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany. In eight years, ClassOne Equipment has become a trusted supplier of high quality refurbished equipment to the semiconductor, MEMS and emerging technologies markets, now having sold over 1,500 pieces of manufacturing equipment to more than 500 customers around the world.

"We are excited to have reached this significant milestone," said Byron Exarcos, president of ClassOne Equipment. "Our focus has always been to provide our customers with the quality they expect at a price they can afford. Our turn-key solution includes full refurbishment to original specifications, a 6-month warranty on parts and labor, and full installation and training, while still allowing the customer to save over 65 percent off the new price of the same tool."

In the process of expanding its capabilities to include a 200mm processing line, the CNSE's STC was in the market for a mask aligner with the capability to perform front-to-back alignment on both 200mm and 150mm wafers. Price, quality and lead time were critical factors in the Center's search for a supplier.

"In supplementing our 150mm wafer platform with 200mm wafer capacity, CNSE's STC provides an alignment capability that is very rare in the industry: extremely accurate front-to-back mask alignment with a high level of automation," said Paul Tolley, Vice President for Disruptive Technologies at CNSE and Executive Director of CNSE's STC. "With the ability to accurately pattern both sides of a single wafer, the addition of the SUSS MicroTec MA200 will open up new opportunities to support a variety of critical applications, including RFMEMS components, bio and chemical sensors, and microfluidic devices."

Like STC, research institutes and universities, MEMS start-up companies and fabs in full production around the world have recognized the value of purchasing refurbished mask aligners from ClassOne. With a large inventory of refurbished mask aligners from top manufacturers including SUSS, EVG, OAI, ABM and HTG, ClassOne typically has popular models such as the SUSS MJB3, MA6, MA150 and MA200 and the EVG 620 Mask Aligner in stock.

In addition to achieving this milestone success in its mask aligner line, ClassOne is experiencing significant growth in its other focus areas, including Semitool wet-processing equipment and KLA-Tencor metrology tools.

About ClassOne Equipment

ClassOne Equipment, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, is a leading supplier of high-quality refurbished equipment to the semiconductor manufacturing, MEMS and emerging technologies markets. The company carries an extensive inventory of refurbished wafer fabrication and metrology equipment from top manufacturers such as SUSS MicroTec, EVG, Semitool and KLA-Tencor™ at prices up to 65 percent less than the cost of a new tool. By offering customers a turn-key solution that includes full refurbishment to original specifications, a complete support cycle from installation to after sales service by experienced technicians and an industry-leading 6-month warranty and 30-day right of return policy, ClassOne has established an excellent reputation with leading research institutes and universities, MEMS start-up companies and fabs in full production around the world. For more information, please visit us at www.ClassOneEquipment.com.

About CNSE

The University of Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) is the first college in the world dedicated to education, research, development, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex is the most advanced research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world. With over $7 billion in high-tech investments, the 800,000-square-foot complex attracts corporate partners from around the world and offers students a one-of-a-kind academic experience. The UAlbany NanoCollege houses the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 80,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. An expansion now underway is projected to increase the size of CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex to over 1,250,000 square feet of next-generation infrastructure housing over 135,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms and more than 3,750 scientists, researchers and engineers from CNSE and global corporations. For information, visit www.cnse.albany.edu.

About CNSE's STC

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's Smart System Technology & Commercialization Center assists small and large companies in transitioning new technologies from concept to manufacturing. STC maintains a 140,000-square-foot facility with over 25,000 square feet of cleanrooms for micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication and packaging, and works with large and medium-sized companies to help them bring new technologies to market; with small companies ready to transition from prototype and low-volume manufacturing to scalable manufacturing; and with various federal agencies to develop technology solutions to areas of critical national need, including smart prosthetics and improvised explosive device (IED) detection. For more information, visit www.stcmems.com.