CRAWLEY, England, Jan. 17 -- BOC, through its BOC Edwards unit, announced that BOC Holdings has signed definitive agreements to form a fifty-fifty joint venture company with Highlight Tech Corp. (HTC) of Taiwan. The new venture, to be called BOC Edwards HTC Ltd., will provide component management and equipment support services for microelectronics manufacturers in Taiwan. The transaction is expected to close in April, subject to completion conditions and third-party consents. BOC Edwards HTC Ltd. facilities will be located in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and will focus on a long-term site strategy designed to support the growth of the flat panel and 300-mm semiconductor manufacturing customers. David Camp, president of BOC Edwards Kachina, said, "BOC Edwards has a long history in the Taiwan electronics market, and the new joint venture demonstrates our continuing commitment. Our investments in parts cleaning and coating technology and the experience we have gained in working with our existing customers to lower operating costs will help the joint venture launch this new business in a short period and on a scale that seeks to meet our customers' growing expectation for cost reductions and overall equipment effectiveness." HTC, founded in July 1998, produces components and spare parts for vacuum manufacturing and processing. For more information, visit: www.bocedwards.com