Carl Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology: Nihon Kessho Kogaku and Schmolz & Bickenbach Receive Supplier Award
Outstanding achievements honored at fifth Suppliers’ Day in Oberkochen
OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 18.10.2012.
Japanese company Nihon Kessho Kogaku (NK&K) and Dusseldorf-based Schmolz & Bickenbach have been honored with the Carl Zeiss SMT Supplier Award. Representatives from both companies accepted the award the evening before the Carl Zeiss SMT Suppliers’ Day. “NK&K and Schmolz & Bickenbach did an excel- lent job meeting our requirements and achieved the highest point totals in the annual supplier assessment,” said Dr. Hermann Gerlinger, Member of the Carl Zeiss AG Executive Board and CEO of Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH. In his speech, he emphasized the support of both companies during the typical up and down cycles in the semiconductor industry.
NK&K and Schmolz & Bickenbach were honored in the run up to the 2012 Suppliers’ Day, the fifth time the event has been held by the Semicon- ductor Manufacturing Technology business group. Around 150 representatives from 41 suppliers from all over the globe made the long journey to Oberkochen. This year‘s event focuses primarily on the supply chain for the innovative EUV lithography (Extreme Ultraviolet). Additional topics include the success made possible by team efforts.
The Suppliers’ Day provides an annual platform for Carl Zeiss to enter into dialog with its key suppliers. Peter Schlindwein, Vice President of Supply Chain Management at Carl Zeiss SMT, explains: “We cover 70 to 75 percent of our production materials with our top suppliers. Discussions about technologies and new processes, market changes and changes to the depth of value added by the supply chain, delivery reliability and terms, and, of course, prices are accordingly important.”
The Suppliers’ Day is part of the SUCCESS strategic supplier management program at SMT. SUCCESS classifies all suppliers strategically, regularly evaluates their performance and is enhanced on an ongoing basis.
