IC analysis and certification lab Material Analysis Technology (MA-tek) has decided to raise quotes for short lead-time orders by 20-50%, particularly for surface analysis (SA) services, according to company chairperson Yong-Fen Hsieh.

Hsieh said delivery lead time for SA orders has been extended to 7-10 days from 2-3 days due to increasingly robust demand, and her company will raise quotes by up to 50% for clients seeking to shorten the lead times.

MA-tek's second lab at Tai Yuen Hi-Tech Industrial Park in Chubei has kicked off commercial runs, focusing on extending failure analysis (FA) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection services to clients in northern Taiwan, according to Hsieh.

Hsieh noted that MA-tek will enhance investments in Taiwan and its second lab in Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) will also be inaugurated by the end of April to handle materials analysis (MA) for advanced nodes.

The company also operates labs in China and Japan, and its lab in Nagoya, Japan is expected to provide analysis services for TSMC's 3DIC material research center to be set up in Japan later this year, according to industry sources.

Hsieh also disclosed that many European clients have asked MA-tek to set up labs in the region and a German research institute has lately invited her company to join a cooperative development project. But in consideration of supply chain clustering, Hsieh continued, San Jose of the US will be the best lab location beyond Asia.

MA-tek's 2020 revenues rose 20.5% on year to a record high of NT$3.062 billion (US$109.36 million). The company is expected to maintain a double-digit revenue growth in 2021, with profits to log higher growth than revenues due to strong material analysis orders with higher gross margins.

By DIGITIMES