16th Jan 2015 08:22
LONDON (Alliance News) - Pure Wafer PLC on Friday said it expects full-scale production at its Swansea facility will not restart for up to 12 months following the fire which hit the plant in December.
Pure Wafer, which provides silicon wafer reclaim services to semiconductor companies, said metallurgical testing at the plant found elements of the building, including parts of the structural steel framework, were compromised in the fire and will need to be replaced.
The group said that though the fire was contained to the service and plant areas and prevented from reaching production areas, further testing found the manufacturing areas have been contaminated by smoke and fumes from the fire.
As a result of the findings, the building will require extensive repair work to be undertaken, including the removal of all affected structural elements, and that the clean rooms will have to removed and replaced along with associated mechanical, electrical and process services.
The processing equipment will have to be extensively refurbished or replaced, Pure Wafer added.
The group said the facility is insured and it is working with its insurers to ensure production restarts as soon as possible, but it anticipates full-scale production will not be possible again for around 12 months.
Pure Wafer said it is working with its customers to minimise disruption and, as part of its contingency plan, will move current production wherever possible to its other facility in Prescott, Arizona.
Shares in Pure Wafer were down 3.1% to 47.00 pence on Friday.
By Sam Unsted; [email protected]; @SamUAtAlliance
Copyright 2015 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Related Shares:
PUR.L