Naura (北方华创, Beifanghuaqiang), a listed company in China 's Shenzhen Stock Exchange, announced on April 4 that it will build a semiconductor equipment production plant with an annual production capacity of more than 150 units, boosting the capital investment about 350 billion won (2.1 billion yuan). The existing shareholder, a subsidiary of the Beijing Municipal Government, and China National IC Industry Investment Fund will invest in the plan. China Securities Regulatory Commission has a review process but it is unlikely to be rejected. The real owner of Naura is Beijing City.
Most of these funds are used for 'High-end IC equipment R & D and industrialization projects.' The company plans to build less than 28 nanometers (㎛)equipment manufacturing facilities and 5 · 7 ㎛ equipment testing platforms on the existing land in Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone. The equipment will have an annual production capacity of 30 units for etching, PVD, ALD, cleaning, and vertical furnace equipment, and 15 units of single annealing equipment.
Naura’s project is expected to take 25 months. It will take 6 months for paperwork and 19 months for construction. The total investment is 330 billion won (2 billion yuan) and the annual revenue is estimated to be 430 billion won (2.6 billion yuan). Naura Microelectronics Equipment, the corporate of Naura responsible for semiconductor equipment, takes charge of the project.
Naura is manufacturing semiconductors/vacuum/renewable energy equipment and precision component through several subsidiaries. Some of these funds will be used in the 'Precision Parts Project', which has 58,000 units of power module production capacity. The total investment of precision parts project is 40 billion won (240 million yuan).
Naura's cumulative sales for the third quarter of 2018 increased 35% YoY to 350 billion won (2.1 billion yuan). In 2017, it recorded the annual sales of 360 billion won (2.2 billion yuan), an increase of 37% over the previous year. Assuming a growth rate of 35%, the sales are expected to reach 490 billion won (3 billion yuan) last year.
Last year, Naura was handed over the US cleaning equipment maker Akrion for $15 million (about 17 billion won). "It was not an easy task as buying overseas semiconductor companies had been blocked to a great extent," said China Electronics, a state-run IT media company. It chose the news as one of the top 10 news items of 2018 that semiconductor industry workers should know.