SINGAPORE -- Kulicke and Soffa Industries has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% equity stake of Assembléon for $98 million in cash.

The deal will close by Jan. 15 and is expected to be accretive within the first year, K&S said.

Assembléon designs and builds SMT placement systems. Its calendar 2014 revenue is currently anticipated to be approximately $90 million. 

It is the second high-profile acquisition of a major SMT OEM by a company known for semiconductor packaging this year. Earlier, DEK was acquired by K&S rival ASM Pacific Technology, which also purchased Siemens' placement machine business in January 2011.

In a statement announcing the deal, K&S chief executive and president Bruno Guilmart said, “Assembléon’s existing solutions and technological competencies present a very attractive strategic opportunity and further extend our ability to capitalize on the advanced packaging market. Assembléon brings a deep-rooted history of innovation, a portfolio of solutions with industry leading process capabilities and meaningful participation in the automotive and industrial markets serving a strong base of leading customers. Our corporate cultures of technology and market leadership serve complementary core businesses and increase our collective presence in high-growth markets.”

Assembléon CEO Jeroen de Groot said, “Assembléon is looking forward to leveraging Kulicke & Soffa’s extensive sales, distribution and service network; strong customer relationships; and proven interconnect expertise to grow the advanced packaging business. The company’s robust fundamentals will serve as a catalyst to accelerate our product development and further enhance our service offerings. This is a winning proposition for both companies and sets the stage for significant developments in the semiconductor packaging sector.”

In K&S, Assembleon has likely found a long-term home. The firm was spun off from Philips in 2011 to H2 Equity Partners, which took an 80% stake in the firm in 2011.

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