JF Tech to beef up position
- By Hanis Sayuti
- Published 16 April 2008
- General
- Unrated
By: Eileen Hee
Source: The Star Online
PETALING JAYA: JF Technology Bhd, which will be listed on Bursa Malaysia today, plans to strengthen its position in the integrated circuit (IC) testing industry by launching more products, including test probes and test sockets for the semiconductor industry.
Managing director Foong Wei Kuong said there was a huge market for customised test probes used for testing ICs.
JF Technology, he said, had the advantage as its current products were about 30% cheaper than foreign-made probes.
“The test probe industry needs to evolve to accommodate the trends affecting IC manufacturing today.
“We are developing test probes for new ICs all the time,” he told StarBiz in an interview.
Foong said it was imperative that the company designed test probes which could adapt to the industry’s needs, especially when ICs were becoming smaller even when they had more circuits embedded in them.
In spite of the reduced contact size of the chips, the test probes should be able to ensure the structural integrity of the IC contact and underlying circuitry, he said.
“Today, we are capable of manufacturing test probes with a microscopic gap smaller than human hair,” Foong said.
Test probes are divided into two categories: the cantilever type and pogo pin type.
The demand for cantilever type test probes was about 3.7 million pieces in Malaysia in 2006, including domestically produced and imported ones.
Based on the number of electronic transistors and ICs manufactured in Malaysia in 2006, domestically-produced cantilever type test probes accounted for 8% of the market while imported cantilever type test probes took up the remaining 92%.
Of the 8% market share held by local companies, JF Technology had about 6.9%, he said.
“Pogo pins” type test probes are used to test memory modules for personal computers and electronic signboards.
Foong estimates the annual demand for these probes at about 19.2 million pieces in Malaysia in 2006 and growing.
“It is a very big market,” he said, adding that in the US, pogo pin probes, which have a micro spring, are manually assembled.
JF Technology was targeting to manufacture the probes by 2010, he said, adding that the company would have an advantage due to its lower labour costs.
The demand for both types of test probes is estimated to expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 7.5% from 2007-2011.
On the company’s listing on the Mesdaq market, Foong said tapping the capital market would provide it with funds to “expand its suite of products, its capabilities and horizons”.
The shares were offered at the offer price of 40 sen each.
Source: The Star Online
PETALING JAYA: JF Technology Bhd, which will be listed on Bursa Malaysia today, plans to strengthen its position in the integrated circuit (IC) testing industry by launching more products, including test probes and test sockets for the semiconductor industry.
Managing director Foong Wei Kuong said there was a huge market for customised test probes used for testing ICs.
JF Technology, he said, had the advantage as its current products were about 30% cheaper than foreign-made probes.
“The test probe industry needs to evolve to accommodate the trends affecting IC manufacturing today.
“We are developing test probes for new ICs all the time,” he told StarBiz in an interview.
Foong said it was imperative that the company designed test probes which could adapt to the industry’s needs, especially when ICs were becoming smaller even when they had more circuits embedded in them.
In spite of the reduced contact size of the chips, the test probes should be able to ensure the structural integrity of the IC contact and underlying circuitry, he said.
“Today, we are capable of manufacturing test probes with a microscopic gap smaller than human hair,” Foong said.
Test probes are divided into two categories: the cantilever type and pogo pin type.
The demand for cantilever type test probes was about 3.7 million pieces in Malaysia in 2006, including domestically produced and imported ones.
Based on the number of electronic transistors and ICs manufactured in Malaysia in 2006, domestically-produced cantilever type test probes accounted for 8% of the market while imported cantilever type test probes took up the remaining 92%.
Of the 8% market share held by local companies, JF Technology had about 6.9%, he said.
“Pogo pins” type test probes are used to test memory modules for personal computers and electronic signboards.
Foong estimates the annual demand for these probes at about 19.2 million pieces in Malaysia in 2006 and growing.
“It is a very big market,” he said, adding that in the US, pogo pin probes, which have a micro spring, are manually assembled.
JF Technology was targeting to manufacture the probes by 2010, he said, adding that the company would have an advantage due to its lower labour costs.
The demand for both types of test probes is estimated to expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 7.5% from 2007-2011.
On the company’s listing on the Mesdaq market, Foong said tapping the capital market would provide it with funds to “expand its suite of products, its capabilities and horizons”.
The shares were offered at the offer price of 40 sen each.
