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SUCCESS CASE
How a Semiconductor Equipment Firm Secured S$230K for Advanced Automation
RIC helped a Singapore semiconductor equipment solutions provider secure EDG support for advanced automation, cleanroom services, electronics repair, and refurbishment capability expansion.
CATEGORY
Factory and Process Optimisation
CLIENT TYPE
Semiconductor equipment engineering / precision refurbishment
GRANT TYPE
Enterprise Development Grant support
FUNDING SECURED
SG$230,000
About the Client and Project
Client Profile
The client is a Singapore-headquartered semiconductor equipment solutions provider with overseas operations, including a joint venture in Japan. It generates SG$18.5 million in annual revenue and employs nearly 50 staff, predominantly Singaporeans and PRs. The company specialises in repair, refurbishment, and manufacturing of semiconductor machinery and components, with a focus on advanced CMP tools. It serves major semiconductor customers including GlobalFoundries, Micron, HP, UMC, Sony, and Infineon, and operates across Singapore, China, Japan, Malaysia, and the USA.
Project Nature
The project involved a multi-stream automation and service expansion programme for semiconductor equipment engineering. The four core workstreams were automated CMP head refurbishment, cleanroom-based ultrasonic cleaning services, in-house semiconductor electronics repair, and expanded chiller repair and refurbishment services. The project aimed to improve turnaround time, reduce machine downtime, remove outsourcing dependency, increase service capacity, strengthen digital tracking, and expand the client’s ability to support more complex equipment servicing requirements across global semiconductor customers.
Funding Objective and Challenge
Funding Objective
The funding objective was to support the client’s Enterprise Development Grant project under the Innovation & Productivity pillar. The grant covered up to 70% of qualifying project costs for advanced automation and service capability expansion. The project was intended to improve productivity, expand high-value service offerings, reduce outsourcing costs, improve maintenance analytics and digital tracking, create new local jobs, and strengthen the company’s competitiveness in the semiconductor equipment engineering sector.
The Challenge
The client was already a trusted semiconductor equipment solutions provider with global operations and a strong customer base, but its next stage of growth required more advanced service capabilities. The business needed to improve throughput, reduce service turnaround time, reduce outsourcing dependency, expand refurbishment scope, and support customers across more complex semiconductor equipment requirements. The challenge was to frame the project as a multi-stream operational transformation, not a set of separate equipment purchases. The grant case had to show how CMP head automation, cleanroom ultrasonic cleaning, in-house electronics repair, and chiller refurbishment would collectively strengthen productivity, service quality, revenue growth, and global competitiveness.
How RIC Supported the Client
RIC scoped and prepared the full EDG project proposal for the client’s automation and service expansion project.
RIC’s support included:
• Defining the technical and operational objectives across four project streams.
• Structuring the project around CMP head automation, cleanroom ultrasonic cleaning, in-house semiconductor electronics repair, and chiller repair / refurbishment.
• Analysing operational bottlenecks, technical requirements, financial projections, ROI, and implementation timelines.
• Advising on solution provider selection for high-tech automation tools and service enhancement capabilities.
• Supporting budget allocation across the different automation and service expansion components.
• Documenting detailed workflows, cost savings, and productivity impact.
• Framing the project around error reduction, digital tracking, advanced analytics for equipment maintenance, and long-term service scalability.
RIC’s role was to turn a technically complex semiconductor equipment transformation into a coherent EDG application with clear fundability, execution logic, and measurable business impact.
Outcome
FUNDING SECURED
SG$230,000
The client secured SG$230,000 in EDG support, covering up to 70% of qualifying project costs. The project enabled four service capability upgrades: automated CMP head refurbishment, cleanroom-based ultrasonic cleaning, in-house semiconductor electronics repair, and expanded chiller repair / refurbishment. It reduced CMP head refurbishment lead time by 50%, doubled monthly CMP output, reduced ultrasonic cleaning turnaround time by 30%, reduced client machine downtime by 20%, eliminated electronics repair outsourcing costs, cut repair lead time from three weeks to one week, expanded chiller servicing from 10 to 40 model types, and doubled monthly chiller-related revenue to SG$100K to SG$140K.
What This Means for Similar Companies
For precision engineering and semiconductor equipment companies, automation funding is strongest when the project is linked to service capability, throughput, and customer value. This case shows that factory and process optimisation can extend beyond production lines into refurbishment, repair, cleanroom services, and technical service workflows. A strong grant case should connect each equipment investment to measurable improvements in lead time, downtime, cost savings, revenue growth, local job creation, and long-term service scalability.
