Ventex Corporation, the world's premier supplier of refurbished Canon, ASML, and Nikon lithography steppers and scanners, announced today that it has purchased Stepper Solutions, Inc., a privately-held, Scotland-based ASML lithography stepper and scanner services company. Under the terms of the agreement, Ventex has agreed to hire all of the company's employees.

With the acquisition, Ventex's portfolio of products and services now includes ASML lithography stepper and scanner support, in addition to its existing portfolio of products and services for Canon and Nikon lithography equipment. The aquisition establishes Ventex as the only company in the semiconductor industry that can supply customers with refurbished Canon, ASML, and Nikon lithography equipment, spare parts, and related service products.

'The market for second-source refurbished Canon, ASML and Nikon lithography equipment and support services has increased substantially over the past several years as the industry struggles with high OEM prices for both new equipment and the maintenance of legacy equipment,' said Jay Bukant, Vice-President of Operations for Ventex. 'Due to our outstanding industry reputation, customers have repeatedly asked us for cost reduction options on all of the major lithography platforms. Customers prefer to work with one company that can provide them with solutions across multiple OEMs. With this acquisition, Ventex is now that company.'

'Moreover,' added Bukant, 'since we are incorporating Stepper Solutions' employees into the Ventex organization, we can simultaneously offer a full array of refurbished ASML lithography systems and related support, while still maintaining our existing level of support and responsiveness to our Canon and Nikon customers. Ventex is now positioned to be the industry's preferred alternative for lithography stepper and scanner cost management.'

Ventex's refurbishment facility in San Jose, California will now support ASML lithography system refurbishments, in addition to Canon and Nikon lithography system refurbishments. Ventex will provide ASML customers with service and support from its Customer Service Centers in San Jose, California, Glasgow, Scotland, Dallas, Texas, and Hsinchu, Taiwan.

'We are very pleased to be a part of the Ventex organization,' said James Docherty, former owner of Stepper Solutions, Inc. and now Project Manager of Ventex's ASML Division. 'We are looking forward to continuing our existing ASML customer relationships as Ventex employees, as well as developing relationships with new ASML customers under the Ventex banner moving forward.'

The acquisition is the latest successfully accomplished milestone in a strategic growth plan launched by Ventex's owners in September 2010. With high OEM prices, reduced budgets, and global competitive pressures, the industry's demand for refurbished lithography equipment has increased dramatically over the past several years and Ventex's strategic growth plan is designed to position the company as the vendor of choice to meet this demand.