Leading CD/DVD replication systems maker Singulus Technologies has completed the acquisition of competitor Steag HamaTech for $11.8 million.

In a statement Steag says that, though it achieved a market share of 15% in the pre-recorded segment, it did not expect to be able to maintain or improve its market position in the current business year and thus increase earnings in order to break even. It therefore announced that its Media Equipment business unit will cease operation. The company will continue to provide service and spare parts to existing customers.

SES Beteiligungs, the majority shareholder of Steag HamaTech, sold its 66.28% stake to Singulus.
Personnel redundancy is underway as cost reduction of €5 million needs to be achieved.

Dr Stefan Reineck, Steag CEO, resigned last week, followed by supervisory board members Dr Jürgen W. Stadelhofer (Chairman), Dr Hans-Georg Betz (Vice-Chairman), Michael Schilling, Dr Andreas Urban, Heribert Protzek and Dr Andreas von Zitzewitz.

Singulus controls about 65 percent of the global market for CD and DVD equipment. "With the combination of Singulus and Steag HamaTech, we will create technological leadership in all formats," Singulus CEO Roland Lacher says in a statement. "In terms of business areas as well as regionally, our companies complement one another excellently."

Singulus is reported to be interested in Steag HamaTech's healthy semiconductor equipment business. It makes equipment for the semiconductor industry and opened a wafer equipment manufacturing plant at Austin, Texas, in August.

Story filed 29.01.06