Camtek Ltd (CAMT)

[midastouch017]

Israeli cos to present to Chinese chip giants
11 Israeli semiconductor companies are holding a series of meeting in China with Shanghai Hua Hong NEC Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.

Hadas Manor 13 Mar 06 16:30

Chinese semiconductor companies, some of the largest in the field, are interested in acquiring Israeli technology and equipment. 11 Israeli semiconductor companies are holding a series of meeting in China with Shanghai Hua Hong NEC Electronics Company Ltd. and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) (NYSE: SMI; HKSE: 0981) to set up new foundries in China.
The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute predict that Israeli semiconductor exports to China will grow 10% in 2006 to $170 million. China’s semiconductor market is estimated at several billion dollars.

The companies are Tower Semiconductor (Nasdaq: TSEM; TASE: TSEM), Camtek Ltd. (Nasdaq: CAMT; TASE:CAMT), Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. (Nasdaq: NVMI), Jordan Valley Semiconductors Inc., Test Insight Ltd., Advanced Dicing Technologies Ltd., MKS Tenta Products Ltd., Ricor Cryogenic and Vacuum Systems Ltd., CI-Semi Ltd., Persys Technology Ltd. and BPST.

The meetings with SMIC are were arranged during a meeting between SMIC chairman, president and CEO Richard Ru Gin Chang and Consulate of Israel in Shanghai consul for economic affairs Uri Gutman, during which Chang expressed great interest in buying Israeli technology and equipment.

Israeli exports of electronic components and equipment for the semiconductor industry plummeted 40% in 2005 to $150 million, because of restrictions on exports of dual-use products following a crisis in Israeli-US relations over Israel’s exports to China.

The Israeli business delegation will also participate in the Semicon China 2006 exhibition. Export Institute electronics branch manager Michael Admon said Israel has 25 semiconductor equipment companies.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 13, 2006

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000070871&fid=942

Dubi