INFICON (Instruments For Intelligent Control)[2] is headquartered in Bad Ragaz (Switzerland) and is engaged in the development, manufacture and supply of instruments, sensor technology and process control software for the semiconductor and vacuum-coating industries. They supply instruments for gas leak detection in refrigeration, air conditioning, the automotive industry and for the analysis and identification of toxic chemicals.[3][4]

INFICON
Company typePublic
SIXIFCN
ISINCH0011029946
IndustryElectrical Engineering
Founded2000
Headquarters,
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Dr. Beat E. Lüthi (CoB)
  • Oliver Wyrsch (CEO)
  • Matthias Troendle (CFO)
Products
  • Leak Detectors
  • Service Tools for HVAC/R
  • Service Tools for Automotive
  • Chemical Detection and Monitoring (GCMS/GC/FID)
  • Quartz Monitor Crystals
  • Thin Film Deposition
  • Controllers and Monitors
  • Electron Beam Gun Control
  • Residual Gas Analyzers
  • Mass Spectrometers
  • Gas Concentration Monitor
  • RF Sensing Technology
  • FabGuard® Software
  • Vacuum Feedthroughs
  • Vacuum Components
  • Vacuum Gauge Controllers and Accessories
  • Wide Range Vacuum Gauges
  • High Precision Vacuum Gauges
  • Leybold Vacuum Compatible Transmitters
Revenue
  • Increase$673.7 million(2023)
  • $581.3 million(2022)
  • $515.8 million(2021)
  • $397.8 million(2020)
  • $381.7 million(2019)
[1]
Number of employees
1616 (Dec.23)[1]
ParentINFICON Holding AG
Websiteinficon.com

INFICON has manufacturing facilities in Europe, the United States and China. INFICON has subsidiaries in China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.[3]

History

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Inficon was founded in Syracuse, New York by a group of scientists and engineers from General Electric (GE) and Syracuse University (SU), who developed a halogen leak detector in December 1969.[5][6][7]

In January 1976, Inficon was acquired by Leybold-Heraeus GmbH a vacuum technology company. Due to this acquisition, Inficon became known as Inficon Leybold-Heraeus.[8][9]

In 1987, Leybold-Heraeus GmbH, the parent company of Inficon, was purchased by Degussa AG, and the name was changed to Leybold AG. At this point, Inficon Leybold-Heraeus became Leybold Inficon, Inc.

In 1993, Oerlikon-Bührle Holding AG (OBH), which owned Balzers AG, reached a deal to buy Leybold AG from Degussa AG. Formed in 1994, Balzers and Leybold Holding AG became the world's largest vacuum and surface technology company as a result of this purchase. Leybold Inficon, Inc. of Syracuse with Balzers Instruments of Liechtenstein and two Leybold instrument groups of Germany then became Balzers and Leybold Instrumentation (BLI).[10]

In 1998, the Oerlikon-Bührle Group was split up and the core business was renamed Unaxis.[11][7]

 
History Timeline for INFICON

In July 2000, Balzers AG and Leybold AG became a part of Unaxis and the instrument group was spun off forming INFICON Holding AG in Switzerland. Combined with Leybold Inficon, Inc. the three instrument groups then became INFICON. On November 9, 2000, INFICON joined the Nasdaq and SIX Swiss Exchange with a public offering under the ticker symbol "IFCN".[12][13][14][15][16][17]

In February 2005, INFICON delisted its stock from Nasdaq, but continues to trade on the SIX Swiss Exchange to this day.[18][19]

Acquisitions

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  • In February 2006, Electro Dynamics Crystal Corp. was acquired and began operating as a subsidiary with the name INFICON EDC, Inc.[20][21][22][23]
  • In May 2007, the company acquired Maxtek Inc.[24]
  • In December 2007, INFICON acquired Sigma Instruments Inc.[25]
  • In February 2016, US based, InstruTech Inc., was acquired by INFICON.[26][27]
  • In October 2018, Final Phase Systems LLC, assets of a software developer, and Techno-Tools Corp., assets of a manufacturer of hand-held leak detectors, were acquired by INFICON.[28][29]

References

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  1. ^ a b "INFICON 2022 Q4 and FY Earnings Presentation" (PDF). Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Instruments For Intelligent Control - Trademark #78469190, Owner: Inficon GmbH". Inventively. Archived from the original on 2017-03-07. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  3. ^ a b "Governor Cuomo Announces Inficon to Expand Manufacturing Operations in East Syracuse". Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. 2014-09-28. Archived from the original on 2017-03-07. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  4. ^ "INFICON, Inc.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  5. ^ "Peter Maier: Leaders look for win-win scenarios to grow their companies". syracuse.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  6. ^ Evans, James (2014). An Introduction to Six Sigma and Process Improvement. South-Western College Pub. p. 58. ISBN 978-1133604587.
  7. ^ a b James T. Mulder (16 June 2000). "Newspaper" (PDF). Herald-Journal. Herald-Journal. p. 85. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Leybold Inficon Inc. | Company-detail.com". www.company-detail.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  9. ^ Staff Writer (8 January 1976). "Newspaper" (PDF). Syracuse Post-Standard. Syracuse Post-Standard. p. 8. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  10. ^ Susan E. Scharrett and Elizabeth Doran (21 October 1993). "Newspaper" (PDF). Syracuse Post-Standard. The Post-Standard. pp. C-6. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Historical Milestones - Oerlikon Corporate". www.oerlikon.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  12. ^ "Inficon acquires US company | Invest | Switzerland Global Enterprise, S-GE". www.s-ge.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  13. ^ "INFICON, Inc.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  14. ^ "INFICON GmbH - Anbieter von Lecksuchgeräten, Vakuummessgeräten, Vakuumkomponenten, Gasanalysatoren und Umweltmessgeräten". www.xpertgate.de. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  15. ^ "History: UCP". www.ucpgroup.com (in German). Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  16. ^ James T. Mulder (9 November 2000). "Newspaper" (PDF). Syracuse Herald-Journal. Herald-Journal. pp. C-4. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  17. ^ "INFICON Announces Initial Public Offering of 1,736,000 Shares of Common Stock at 225 Swiss Francs Per Share" (Press release). Syracuse, NY and Zurich, Switzerland: Business Wire. November 17, 2000. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  18. ^ "FORM 6-K SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION".
  19. ^ "INFICON Announces Decision To Voluntarily Delist Its American Depositary Shares From The NASDAQ National Market and Terminate Its American Depositary Receipt Program. SWX Swiss Exchange Listing Remains Unchanged" (Press release). SYRACUSE, N.Y. & ZURICH, Switzerland: Business Wire. February 18, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  20. ^ "Electro Dynamics Crystal Corp.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  21. ^ "Inficon Acquires Electro Dynamics Crystal Corp". www.semiconductoronline.com. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  22. ^ "INFICON Acquires Electro Dynamics Crystal Corp. - INFICON News - INFICON". www.inficon.com. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  23. ^ "Inficon EDC - Home". www.electrodynamics.com. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  24. ^ "INFICON Acquires Maxtek Inc". Inficon.
  25. ^ "INFICON Acquires Sigma Instruments Inc". Inficon.
  26. ^ "BRIEF-Inficon acquires business of U.S. based InstruTech Inc". Reuters. 2017-02-01. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  27. ^ "INFICON Acquires Business of US-Based InstruTech Inc. - INFICON News - INFICON". www.inficon.com. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  28. ^ "INFICON Acquires Final Phase Systems". www.inficon.com. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  29. ^ "INFICON Annual Report 2018" (PDF). www.inficon.com.
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