DuPont purchase to launch growth
Triangle Business Journal - by Jane Paige
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – The DuPont Electronic Technologies facility in Research Triangle Park is pioneering the way in electronics for its international company parent.
"We are providing the leading edge technology to the industry," says David Miller, vice president and general manager of DuPont Electronic Technologies – a $1 billion business unit of DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies. Miller is a fifth generation DuPont employee.
Since 1991, the RTP facility has been the global headquarters for the unit, which consists of six businesses dedicated to the electronics industry, including circuit materials, high-performance and microcircuit materials, semiconductor fabrication and IC packaging and interconnects.
The RTP facility was constructed in 1986 and includes 185,000 square feet of office and laboratory space on about 55 acres. It houses research and development laboratories, applications engineering, technical sales support, marketing, management and customer service and customer training facilities. About 270 employees work at the RTP plant. The unit has about 2,000 employees worldwide.
DuPont Electronic Technologies is a major supplier of ceramic and organic integrated circuit packaging and IC fabrication materials to the electronics industry.
"We supply material support to the electronic industry," Miller says. For example, about 20 tiny parts inside of a cellular telephone can be made and supplied by DuPont.
In July, DuPont announced that it is acquiring ChemFirst, Inc., a global supplier of electronic chemicals and materials to the semiconductor industry and specialty intermediates for polyurethane and other applications. The company had 2001 sales of $278 million and has approximately 480 employees. Some of the employees will be moving to the RTP facility. The acquisition is expected to be finalized before the end of the year.
"The acquisition of ChemFirst provides a high-growth electronic technologies opportunity, while the chemical intermediates will add attractive earnings from day one," Miller says.
"It expands the DuPont presence in semiconductor fabrication materials and provides a platform for growth," adds Miller. "We intend to become a leading supplier in that industry through new product offerings and technology. ChemFirst's products, market access and technical service capability will allow us to accelerate this effort."
The electronics industry has been hard hit by the recent economic recession. DuPont is no exception, but Miller is optimistic about the future.
"The electronics industry as a whole fell off about 30 percent in 2001," he says. "We fell off about 20 percent, but the third quarter this year was better. I believe we have bottomed out and are coming out of it now. The question is how fast the industry will come back up."
Several major trends are driving performance requirements for electronic components. These include increasing speed/bandwidth, growth in personal/portable devices, increased functionality/miniaturization and demanding thermal environments. As electronics manufacturers seek new approaches to meet these trends, the need for greater performance at and between each component level is increasing, according to company officials.
The local DuPont facility has maintained a positive relationship with the local universities and other organizations in the Triangle.
In October, company officials gave $5,000 to the Solar Electric Light Fund in support of its goal to utilize solar power and wireless communication technologies to improve the opportunities for people in developing countries. DuPont Electronic Technologies received the Sustainable Growth Award from the DuPont Co. in recognition of the development of conductors used in photovoltaic panels, which generate electricity from sunlight. Local officials then designed the Solar Electric Light Fund as the ultimate recipient of the grant. Both organizations have participated in the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Also in October, Dupont Electronic Tech-nologies was named one of "50 Companies to Watch" in The Electronic Industry's Movers & Shakers of 2002, a special magazine supplement published annually by Reed Business Information. The issue recognizes DuPont for its ability to sustain itself during the recent downturn in the electronics market, while setting and implementing a long-term strategy for sustainable growth.
"We are the second largest supplier of electronic materials in the world," Miller says. "We are working to be number one."
DuPont's revenue is more than $25 billion. It has six major platforms for growth – agriculture and nutrition, coatings and color technologies, electronic and communication technologies, performance materials, safety and production, and textiles and interiors.
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