Used ATE company forms, maps growth

A group of executives from the ATE and other industries have formally announced a new used equipment and service company, Boston Semi Equipment Group LLC (BSE Group). Privately-funded, the BSE Group will provide a range of services, including financing and equipment expertise that will enable customers to lease, buy, exchange, upgrade, downgrade, service and refurbish semiconductor capital equipment.

Initially, the company will lease, sell and service refurbished test equipment from Teradyne Inc., noted Doug Elder, president and CEO of BSE Group, who was a former executive of Teradyne.

The company also announced the acquisition of Test Advantage Hardware, a reseller of ATE, from Test Advantage Inc. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In 2008, Teradyne launched a certification program for its own refurbished test equipment and chose Test Advantage as its partner. The equipment certification process applies to Teradyne test systems no longer in production, which includes the J900 and A500 families, Catalyst and Tiger test systems. The refurbishment program enables customers to add capacity with equipment that is consistent with Teradyne's quality standards.

Test Advantage Hardware reconfigures and redistributes ATE systems and accessories, including those from its financial arm, Test Advantage Capital. The acquisition does not impact the ownership of Test Advantage's subsidiary, dubbed Test Advantage Software, which will continue to offer its software products.

"Semiconductor manufacturers are increasingly turning to structured financing, including leasing and short-term rentals, and equipment from the secondary market to better manage their capital," Elder said.

He added that over time, BSE Group will provide these services for other testers, as well as packaging and assembly equipment, Elder said. Then, it will eventually move into the front-end equipment segments.

- Mark LaPedus
EE Times