Trymax Semiconductor Equipment (“Trymax”), a specialist manufacturer of plasma- and UV-based solutions for the semiconductor and optoelectronics industries, today announced that it has been awarded a substantial, multi-year, multi-million-dollar purchase order by Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI, Nasdaq: AAOI), a leading provider of advanced optical and HFC networking products that power AI. The award reinforces Trymax’s growing footprint in advanced semiconductor device manufacturing.
AOI grows and fabricates its own chips and wafers in-house, using Indium Phosphide (InP) to build lasers that are used in its optical transceivers for intra and inter-data center connectivity. InP-based laser manufacturing can present specific process challenges, particularly in handling fragile substrates across mixed wafer sizes—an area in which Trymax has established itself as one of the leading equipment suppliers for this class of device, based on its tool availability, innovative technology and wafer-handling capabilities.
Under the contract, Trymax will provide AOI with its Ashers and UV curing systems to support the chip-making process by removing residues, etching surfaces, and treating materials at various stages of fabrication. These platforms are capable of processing InP wafers ranging from three to six inches and are widely recognized for handling fragile substrates without compromising yield.
Commenting on the announcement, Garrie Murphy, Sales Director Americas at Trymax, said, “This award reflects the depth of engineering collaboration we’ve built with AOI over time. Our teams have worked closely to align our Ashers and UV curing platforms with the exacting tolerances their manufacturing processes demand, and this marks a natural extension of that partnership as their production needs continue to grow.”
Stephen Hu, Deputy Director of Wafer and Chip Production at AOI, highlighted the benefits of the partnership, adding, “Trymax is a trusted partner for plasma cleaning and UV/ozone surface preparation equipment, which we plan to integrate into our wafer fab in Sugar Land. In our evaluation, their equipment performed very well and their team has been highly responsive, which is critical for our partners as we aim to rapidly expand our laser chip production capacity in Texas.”
Trymax will be exhibiting at SEMICON Taiwan 2026, taking place September 2–4 at TaiNEX, Taipei. Visitors can learn more about Trymax’s Ashers and UV curing solutions in the Netherlands Pavilion in Hall 1, K2760.
About Trymax Semiconductor Equipment
Trymax’s core business is to support semiconductor manufacturers through the world with innovative plasma-based solutions for photoresist removal, surface cleaning, isotropic etch, as well as UV curing and charge erase applications, that are used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices. Trymax is a privately held company headquartered in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Trymax operates regional sales and service offices in Europe, UA, China, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Japan.
About AOI
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical and HFC networking products that are the building blocks for AI datacenters, CATV and broadband fiber access networks around the world. AOI supplies this critical infrastructure to tier-one customers across cloud computing, CATV broadband, telecom, and FTTH markets. The company has R&D facilities in Atlanta, GA, and engineering and manufacturing facilities at its corporate headquarters in Sugar Land, TX, as well as in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China.
