Newport-based SPTS Technologies, an Orbotech company and supplier of advanced wafer processing solutions for the global semiconductor and related industries, has received orders totalling approximately $57m for multiple Sigma fxP PVD systems from a global manufacturer of packaged die.

The systems will deposit under bump metals and redistribution layers for Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging production.

The burgeoning market for thinner smart phones, tablets, wearable devices and Internet of Things (IoT) connected consumer goods has created a significant need for this cost-effective high density format.

Kevin Crofton, president of SPTS, which has a base at the Coldra, Newport, and corporate vice president at Orbotech, said: "This groundbreaking multi-PVD system order, the first from any semiconductor manufacturing company for FOWLP, is a ?milestone moment for advanced packaging.

“It marks the beginning of an industry-wide transition of FOWLP from a niche packaging technique for small devices such as RFID and power management ICs to mainstream architecture for high value chips. We expect FOWLP to become the leading low cost, high density packaging format.”

This order reinforces advanced packaging as SPTS’ most important growth driver. During 2015, the company has received multiple new technology orders from packaging fabs for a range of applications including plasma dicing for frame-supported wafers, through-silicon via etch and deposition for 3DWLP and TSV reveal and passivation as announced by imec on July 14, 2015.