Systems Engineer

Manz forecasts growth alongside industry. Wed, aug 19, 2026 page9. * Manz forecasts growth alongside industry MANY MILLIMETERS: Manz' offerings in panel-level packaging continue to grow in demand in Taiwan's specialized industrial ecosystem, the company president said * By Lisa Wang / Staff Reporter * * Add TT as Preferred Source Manz Taiwan Ltd (亞智科技), which specializes in panel-level packaging equipment manufacturing, yesterday said the semiconductor ecosystem has developed rapidly in Taiwan, boosting its business outlook. The company supplies electrochemical deposition (ECD) equipment used in panel-level packaging, including chip-on-panel-on-substrate (CoPoS) and fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) with square panel sizes ranging from 310x310mm and 510x510mm to 700x700mm. That places Manz as the third company in the world - after Applied Materials Inc and Lam Research Corp - capable of supplying such equipment used in panel-level packaging production. Manz Taiwan Ltd president Robert Lin speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA About half of the 50 ECD machines it has sold so far are for 700x700mm in panel size, but the 310x310mm equipment has been gaining popularity, the company said. "As AI [artificial intelligence] chips become larger in terms of reticle size, production and cost efficiency become increasingly vital, pushing the shift to panel-level packaging," Manz president Robert Lin (林峻生) said at a news conference in Taipei. CoPoS is considered a successor to chip-on-wafer-on-substrate technology, which is used in packaging for Nvidia Corp's AI chips produced by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), as a larger square panel offers better cost efficiency versus a 12-inch circular wafer. A 310x310mm rectangular panel can boost production by 50 percent compared with a 12-inch circular one in advanced packaging, Lin said. The CoPoS technology is mainly used to produce AI chips, while FOPLP is for the production of power management chips, radio frequency chips, microcontrollers or chips used in low orbit satellites, Manz said. As localization is a growing trend for Taiwan's advanced packaging industry, half of the company's customers are from Taiwan, Lin said. The company also exported equipment to the US, Japan, China and Malaysia, he said. Manz, which previously focused on plastic circuit board and flat panel equipment manufacturing, entered the semiconductor industry 12 years ago by collaborating with chip packager and tester Siliconware Precision Industries Co (矽品精密). The company aims to debut on the Taipei Exchange's Emerging Stock Board in June next year and list its shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 2028. Employees hold a 30 percent stake in the company after it signed an agreement with German parent company Manz AG and became an independent entity through management buyout last year. * Most Popular * 1 McDonald's halts shrimp burger sales over banned antibiotic * 2 China wants to block drone bill: source * 3 'Economist' warns of democracy dangers in Taiwan * 4 German writer tells of Chinese spy in Taiwan * 5 Lai announces NT$10,000 cash handout

Bank of America has cut Applied Materials' price target to $650 from $720 while maintaining a Buy rating. The adjustment follows the semiconductor equipment maker's record fiscal third quarter, which saw revenue rise 25% year-over-year to $9.12 billion and non-GAAP EPS jump 41% to $3.50. BofA reduced its valuation multiple to 27 times estimated 2028 earnings from 36 times previously, citing slower sequential growth relative to competitor Lam Research and flat margin guidance. Applied's quarterly guidance implies roughly 13% sequential growth versus about 20% for Lam. Despite the lower target, BofA raised its EPS estimates for 2026, 2027, and 2028 by 8%, 15%, and 22%, respectively. The bank highlighted strong AI-driven demand in DRAM and advanced packaging as key growth drivers.