June 27, 2013. SV Probe Pte. Ltd. (SV), a supplier of high-performance probe cards, announced that it has entered into a business transfer agreement to purchase certain probe card business, technologies, intellectual property rights, and assets of Tokyo Cathode Laboratory (TCL). This acquisition will create a stronger product portfolio for SV, place the company in a more competitive position within the IC testing market, and give SV a significant advantage with access to the large Japanese probe card market.
SV Probe will acquire TCL’s shares in its subsidiaries in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou, China, along with the assets and business of TCL and its Japan subsidiaries, held or used in the marketing, manufacturing, and distribution of certain probe card products.
TCL is a probe card manufacturer based in Japan with a substantial production and distribution network across Asia. TCL possesses strong probe card capabilities, specifically for CMOS image sensors (CIS) and liquid crystal displays (LCD), which are used mainly in smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, and other imaging devices. TCL has developed proprietary cantilever probe materials along with build and assembly processes that extend the capability of its products utilized in different device testing applications. As a result, TCL has gained a number of key CIS, LCD, and logic/SOC customers in Japan and throughout the Asian market.
“TCL’s extensive knowledge in probe card technologies and strong customer relationships will create new revenue opportunities for SV Probe,” said Mr. Kevin Kurtz, president and CEO of SV. “This acquisition will enable SV Probe to increase its participation in the valuable and significant Japanese probe card market.”