Welsh semiconductor material manufacturer Epitaxial Products International Ltd is pressing ahead with a 900,000 pound Welsh Development Agency project that will double the size of its plant, despite revealing that a significant proportion of its materials are exported to the Far East. The company exports 95% of its semiconductor wafer materials – which are used to manufacture key components in a range of products including CD players, mobile phones and satellite communication systems – to the US and the Far East. Around 60% ends up in the US, the remaining 25% in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. But Dr Drew Nelson, Epitaxial’s managing director does not think the company will suffer any adverse affects as a result of the fragile economic position in Asia. Nelson says because the company operates effectively as an outsourcing operation, companies buying the materials do not have to shell out the capital cost, which according to Nelson, is where the main problems lie. Established in 1988, Epitaxial is in the midst of a three year expansion, which includes adding 21,000 square feet of office and production space to its existing 14,000 sq ft. The company currently leases the space from the Welsh Development Agency which acts as its landlord, but when the expansion work is completed, Epitaxial will buy the entire site from the Agency. When work is complete it plans to add 70 staff to its existing 100-strong workforce. With an annual revenue of around 7m pounds, the company is aiming to generate a compound growth rate of 30% over the next few years. Although it won’t divulge any names, Epitaxial claims to ship materials to 15 of the 20 top semiconductor manufacturers.
