Advantest acquires CREA

1st June 2022

Paige West

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Semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Italy-based CREA - Collaudi Elettronici Automatizzati S.r.l. ("CREA”).

CREA is a major supplier of power semiconductor test equipment. Its products are used to test all kinds of power devices and are utilised by global semiconductor companies around the world.

The global response to climate change has stimulated demand for electric vehicles and energy-efficient data centres, boosting demand for power ICs, which are needed to efficiently supply electricity for these and other applications. Manufacturers are accelerating the development of next-generation silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) power devices, which have superior power characteristics, while power semiconductors are also increasingly being integrated into other devices. The power device market is expected to grow significantly in the future.

CREA has many years of extensive experience in the development and production of test equipment for power semiconductors, including the latest SiC/GaN semiconductors. This acquisition will enable Advantest to provide broader test and measurement solutions to a wider range of customers in high-growth sectors.

Advantest President and CEO Yoshiaki Yoshida commented, "The acquisition of CREA will expand our test and measurement solutions within the evolving semiconductor value chain to meet a wider range of customer needs. By integrating CREA's product line-up, development capabilities, excellent customer base, and world-class R&D team into the Advantest Group, we can enrich our portfolio of power semiconductor test solutions. I am also confident that as the power device market is expected to grow in the future, this acquisition will contribute directly to our and our customers’ efforts to help achieve Net Zero.”

CREA, headquartered in Ciriè close to Torino, Italy, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Advantest Europe GmbH, the Company's European subsidiary. The closing of the transaction is tied to regulatory approvals.

The financial advisor on this acquisition was Houlihan Lokey Corporation, and the legal advisors were Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu and Pedersoli Studio Legale.