Enterprise Ireland
Annual Report and Accounts 2005
Annual Report and Accounts 2005
Lexas Integrated Technology is a successful indigenous knowledge-intensive company operating in the semi-conductor equipment market. The company’s core business is servicing semi-conductor processing equipment for major global wafer manufacturers. Its underlying strength and future growth lies in its dedicated research division which works on an innovative new product development programme run in partnership with researchers at Dublin City University (DCU).
Lexas targets a multi-million euro global market, operating successfully in a niche market that is dominated by world-class competitors with deep technical know-how. Its ground-breaking new product is set to launch in late 2006.
The semi-conductor servicing and project management side of Lexas’ business started in 2001 as the brainchild of three ex-applied materials engineers with over 30 years of combined experience. The research and product development business took off in 2004 and the company won the DCU Mallin-Invent Award for innovative, high-potential start-ups in 2005.
More than 50% of Lexas’ turnover comes from exports to the US, Europe and Asia, servicing original equipment manufacturers and end-user customers such as Intel, Motorola and IBM.
The company’s collaboration with researchers at the National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology (NCPST) at DCU, and other leading research centres throughout Europe, has enabled Lexas to develop a range of process control and diagnostic solutions for the semi-conductor manufacturing industry. The technology facilitates the efficient and reliable manufacture of the most advanced nano-electronic devices.
Enterprise Ireland has supported Lexas’ R&D commitment with assistance which has helped the company to resource its long-term development programme. Dr Stephen Daniels, Executive Director of the NCPST and co-founder of the Lexas Research Division, says such support is critical to encouraging research in high-risk, innovative and long-term projects. He also says:
“Our relationship with the University is invaluable and the access to resources is fantastic. Our future growth is reliant on R&D and we’re fully committed to developing our product portfolio to grow our critical mass.”
Lexas moves into a dedicated R&D facility at Invent in DCU in 2006 when a full-time, experienced R&D manager will be hired to implement best practice, including implementation of a development lifecycle quality process. Later that year, the company plans to release its highly innovative, next generation plasma process endpoint product. The company currently has 40 employees and its team of researchers is expected to grow from three to 10 people within the next three years.
www.lexas.ie (link opens in a new browser window)
