American chip companies want to acquire Dutch BESI

"Both Lam Research and Applied Materials are reportedly interested in acquiring the Duiven-based company. BESI is working with Morgan Stanley to evaluate approaches but says it wants to remain an independent company. Talks began in mid-2025 but were delayed earlier this year due to geopolitical tensions between the US and the EU over Greenland."

"Applied Materials acquired a 9 percent stake in BESI in April 2025, becoming the largest shareholder. BESI and Applied Materials have been collaborating for some time in hybrid bonding, a technology that connects chips via copper-to-copper connections to enable faster data transfer and lower energy consumption. This collaboration resulted in the Kinex platform, the world's first fully integrated die-to-wafer hybrid bonding system."

"Orders in the fourth quarter of 2025 rose by 43 percent to 250 million euros, driven by data centers and demand for AI chips. The company previously closed a multi-million dollar deal for 26 hybrid bonding systems, presumably with Intel."

BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI), a Duiven-based company, has attracted acquisition interest from major American chip equipment manufacturers Lam Research and Applied Materials. BESI engaged Morgan Stanley to evaluate approaches while expressing preference for independence. Acquisition talks began mid-2025 but faced delays due to US-EU geopolitical tensions over Greenland, requiring national security review for Dutch technology acquisition. Applied Materials holds a 9 percent stake acquired in April 2025 and collaborates with BESI on hybrid bonding technology, producing the Kinex platform for die-to-wafer bonding. BESI demonstrates strong performance with fourth-quarter 2025 orders rising 43 percent to 250 million euros, driven by data center and AI chip demand. BESI shares surged 14 percent to record highs following acquisition news.

Read at Techzine Global