[News] Applied Materials to Double BESI Stake to 20% on Hybrid Bonding Demand, Pending U.S. Antitrust Review
Applied Materials is strengthening its position in advanced chip packaging as demand for AI-related semiconductor technologies continues to grow. According to Reuters, the U.S. semiconductor equipment maker plans to increase its stake in Dutch company BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) from 9% to approximately 20%, deepening a partnership focused on advanced packaging technologies for AI chips.
Applied Materials, BESI’s largest shareholder since acquiring a 9% stake in April 2025, has entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement to acquire additional shares in the company, subject to U.S. antitrust review. The company said it does not intend to increase its stake beyond approximately 20% or seek representation on BESI’s board.
The expanded partnership will focus on next-generation chip interconnect and packaging technologies for AI semiconductors. Applied Materials and BESI have collaborated on hybrid bonding technology since 2020, Reuters notes. According to ijiwei, BESI holds approximately 70% of the global hybrid bonding equipment market.
BESI’s Hybrid Bonding Technology Gains Momentum
Hybrid bonding directly joins copper interconnects and dielectric layers without conventional bumps, enabling denser connections between chips. According to Chosun Biz, the companies have jointly developed Kinex, an integrated die-to-wafer hybrid bonding system that combines Applied Materials’ expertise in etching, planarization, deposition and inspection with BESI’s precision die placement and assembly technologies.
BESI is a leading supplier of hybrid bonding equipment. As noted by ijiwei, its flagship Datacon 8800 CHAMEO ultra plus AC system offers alignment accuracy of 100 nanometers and throughput of up to 2,000 cycles per hour (CPH), highlighting the technology’s potential for high-volume manufacturing.
Demand for the technology is gaining momentum. Reuters reported on October 22 that BESI’s third-quarter orders rose 96% year over year to €342.6 million, while hybrid bonding equipment orders in the first nine months of 2026 more than doubled compared with the full-year 2025 level. BESI‘s latest earnings release further shows that its hybrid bonding customer base has expanded to 23, with cumulative equipment demand exceeding 215 systems.
Meanwhile, Chinese equipment makers are also advancing their hybrid bonding capabilities. According to ijiwei, Piotech generated RMB 136 million in hybrid bonding equipment revenue in 2025, up 41.92% year over year, and secured repeat orders for its wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding systems.
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(Photo credit: BESI)
