Universal and Hitachi extend high speed placement collaboration to 2009

Universal and Hitachi extend high speed placement collaboration to 2009

Universal and Hitachi extend high speed placement collaboration to 2009

Keywords: Hitachi

Universal Instruments and Hitachi High Technologies (HHT) have renewed their successful OEM agreement for further 5 years. HHT acquired Sanyo High Technologies, Universal's original OEM partner, in 2003. The partnership has been lucrative for both companies, enhancing Universal's best-in-class product portfolio with class-leading, turret-style high speed placement technology while affording HHT an extensive sales and support network. Since being first announced in 1989, this agreement has resulted in more than 1200 HSP platforms sold. The latest high speed placement machine to use HHT's technology, the 4797L HSP, was recently awarded the 2003 EP&P Excellence Award and 2003 SMT Magazine Vision Award.

In addition to customers' access to the entire line of 4797-series HSP machines, extending the agreement until 2009 will allow further joint efforts to continue. These include recent line software development work, and may extend in the future to additional joint technical projects, technology transfers, and further product sharing.

Heinz Dommel, Manager, Systems Division at Universal Instruments, said, "I am pleased to renew this valuable relationship and continue to make HHT's best-in-class turret-style high speed placement technology available to a global market by leveraging Universal's worldwide sales and support infrastructure. The HSP is the perfect complement to Universal's industry-leading flexible fine pitch technologies."

Continued success of the partnership, and sustained market demand for high speed placement equipment such as the 4797L HSP, have allowed the agreement to be renewed several times in the past. Universal offers the 4797-series HSP alongside its strong modular platform product portfolio, which includes the AdVantis and GSM Genesis placement platforms, as well as cost- effective end-of-line and through hole assembly solutions.

For more information, visit the Web site: www.uic.com