Cymer, ASML Sign Customer Support Pact

SAN DIEGO, April 28 -- Cymer Inc. and ASM Lithography Holding NV (ASML) have signed an agreement under which Cymer will provide direct service and spare parts for its lasers installed on ASML's steppers and scanners at chipmakers' facilities worldwide.
According to Pascal Didier, Cymer's senior vice president of worldwide customer operations, ASML and Cymer have worked together to identify and establish a successful program that will reach and benefit the companies' mutual global customers. Cymer and ASML share a commitment to providing chipmakers with technology-based, value-added lithography solutions. Cymer's significant technology prowess and unprecedented global service and support network will ensure that ASML chipmaker customers will receive only the world-class customer support that has become a Cymer trademark.
The agreement calls for Cymer's field service engineer to provide direct service and support for the company's excimer lasers, which are integrated on ASM Lithography's steppers and scanners. The companies said the agreement was constructed to allow chipmakers to contact Cymer directly for excimer laser-related service and spare part requests. This is expected to facilitate a timely response to customer requests, thus reducing system downtime and inventory and consumable costs.