Applied Materials Broadens Advanced Packaging Portfolio with Acquisition of NEXX

Applied Materials, Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ASMPT Limited’s NEXX business. The deal covers NEXX’s advanced packaging deposition equipment and a team that will join Applied’s semiconductor unit after closing.

The companies tied the transaction to changes in advanced packaging requirements for larger AI accelerator designs. The PR said that as chiplet-based architectures add GPUs, high-bandwidth memory stacks, and input-output chips, package scaling moves toward larger interposers and advanced substrates that support panel form factors.

Applied said it already manufactures systems used for advanced packaging and panel substrate transitions, including digital lithography, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and etch, along with eBeam metrology and inspection. The acquisition adds NEXX’s panel-level electrochemical deposition (ECD) technology, described as supporting co-optimized solutions for fine-pitch I/O wiring.

The transaction is expected to close within the next several months, subject to customary closing conditions, and the PR said no regulatory approvals were required. After closing, the NEXX team will be incorporated into Applied’s Semiconductor Products Group and remain based in Billerica, Massachusetts. “Having NEXX join Applied Materials complements our leadership in advanced packaging, particularly in panel processing – an area where we see tremendous opportunities for customer co-innovation and growth in the years ahead,” said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. “We look forward to welcoming NEXX’s talented team to Applied and collaborating with our combined customer base on this exciting new chapter in advanced packaging technology.” “We are excited for NEXX to be a part of Applied Materials because together, we can accelerate the computing industry’s adoption of large-format advanced packaging technologies,” said Jarek Pisera, President of ASMPT NEXX.