IQE Plc, the Cardiff, UK company that that claims to be the world’s leading independent producer of compound semiconductors, is reaping the benefits of investing in 6-inch wafer equipment at a time when mobile phone manufacturers are straining to get the capacity to meet demand. IQE says that heavy investment in equipment will put it in a dominant position to accelerate 6 inch wafer production more quickly than anyone else in the industry.
In its third quarter to September 30, IQE made a net profit of 137,765 pounds ($221,801), down from a profit of 180,990 pounds ($291,393) on revenue that rose 10.5% to 4.6m pounds ($7.4m); for the first nine months, it made a net profit of 366,906 pounds ($590,718) down from a profit of 428,109 pounds ($689,110) on revenue 18.5% higher at 13.9m pounds ($22.3m).
The cost of forming the company by the transatlantic merger of Pennsylvania-based QED and UK-based EPI added exceptional costs of 76,162 ($122,620) pounds to the third quarter and 167,732 pounds ($270,048) to the first nine months.
IQE said it had received $5m worth of orders from two leading US mobile phone companies and had become qualified by three of the leading optoelectronic manufacturers in North America for its multiwafer telecoms products. As a result, it expects to receive orders worth up to $5m.
