Cohu – World’s Largest Test and Inspection Handler Factory in Malaysia Enabling a smarter, safer, and more connected future

Cohu Malaysia located in Melaka is Cohu’s largest manufacturing operation and the world’s largest test and inspection handler factory. The Melaka facility proudly celebrated its 25th Anniversary recently, and in addition, shipped its 4,000th test handler. The milestone system, a MATRIX thermal pick-and-place handler, was shipped to Infineon in Singapore for testing automotive and industrial devices.

The facility was initially established by Ismeca, which was headquartered in Switzerland. Ismeca was subsequently acquired by Cohu in 2013. The company first started in its 8,200 square feet rented building located in Taman Teknologi Cheng, Melaka with 50 employees. Today, growing organically from a customer service centre to a major manufacturing site and a global supply chain centre, Cohu Malaysia has expanded to 100,000 square feet in Ayer Keroh, Melaka with more than 650 employees.

Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ: COHU) was founded in 1947 and is a global leader in back-end semiconductor equipment and services, delivering leadingedge solutions for the manufacturing of semiconductors. The company offers the broadest portfolio of equipment and services for back-end semiconductor manufacturing, including a onestop shop for test and handling equipment, thermal subsystems, interface solutions, vision inspection and metrology, and MEMS test solutions.

Cohu’s enhanced product portfolio gives its customers the best possible combination of technologies to match their business and technical needs, focused on increasing yield, reducing the cost of test and accelerating timeto- market. The company has been continuously developing products to test semiconductors that enable the worldwide adoption of advancing technologies such as mobility 5G, data generation and transmission, automotive ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), electrification and telematics.

Most of Cohu’s equipment is installed in customer facilities located in Southeast Asia. As Malaysia is conveniently located in the heart of South East Asia, Melaka is a strategic location for Cohu as many of its customers are located within a two-hour travel radius including Infineon, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, NXP and Samsung.

With the country’s strategic geographical location, ease of access and relatively lower operating costs, Malaysia enables Cohu to move closer to its Far East customers, who purchase most of the global semiconductor back end equipment. Cohu’s objectives are to:

• – Service existing equipment with shorter reaction times
• – Perform improvements and upgrades on existing equipment more efficiently and economically
• – Develop new equipment in cooperation with customers, and benefit from their immediate feedback
• – Serve the Asian market more effectively Manufacture faster and more economically

Cohu is focused on making a positive contribution to society by creating products that enable healthier lifestyles, greater longevity, and a more habitable planet. When COVID-19 arrived, the company quickly pivoted to support the manufacturing and testing of semiconductor components and technologies in the fight against the pandemic.

Cohu’s test handlers, test interface solutions and semiconductor testers are now being utilised in lifesaving medical devices and applications addressing point-of-care, rapid sepsis testing, and contact-less temperature biometers. Numerous handlers were manufactured and shipped from its Melaka facility for point-of-care (patient monitors, ventilators, etc.), enabling the fight against the pandemic.

Cohu’s journey in Malaysia for the past decade has been supported by government agencies including MIDA. As a Pioneer and International Procurement Center status company, Cohu has steadily expanded research and development (R&D) competencies and capabilities in Malaysia, generating direct and indirect high-income technical and engineering job opportunities in Melaka. As a market leader, Cohu continues to extend its leadership in new product development, enabling a smarter, safer, and more connected future.

To find more information on how MIDA supports companies like Cohu, visit MIDA website at www.mida.gov.my