Selling the Forges of the Future: U.S. Report Exposes China’s Reliance on Western Chip Tools

Selling the Forges of the Future: U.S. Report Exposes China’s Reliance on Western Chip Tools
by Daniel Nenni on 10-12-2025 at 10:00 am

Employees are seen working on the final assembly of ASML's TWINSCAN NXE:3400B semiconductor lithography tool with its panels removed, in Veldhoven

The U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party released a bombshell report titled “Selling the Forges of the Future” on October 7, 2025, detailing how the People’s Republic of China is stockpiling semiconductor manufacturing equipment… Read More


Podcast EP300: Next Generation Metalization Innovations with Lam’s Kaihan Ashtiani

Podcast EP300: Next Generation Metalization Innovations with Lam’s Kaihan Ashtiani
by Daniel Nenni on 07-30-2025 at 10:00 am

Dan is joined by Kaihan Ashtiani, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of atomic layer deposition and chemical vapor deposition metals in Lam’s Deposition Business Unit. Kaihan has more than 30 years of experience in technical and management roles, working on a variety of semiconductor tools and processes.

Dan explores… Read More


China’s hoard of chip-making tools: national treasures or expensive spare parts?

China’s hoard of chip-making tools: national treasures or expensive spare parts?
by Craig Addison on 11-20-2023 at 10:00 am

Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse photo courtesy Paramount Pictures

In the closing scene of Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the camera pulls back to reveal an enormous warehouse stacked with crates of artifacts hidden away by the US government. 

One could imagine a similar warehouse in China today. The crates would hold a different kind of treasure – semiconductor production … Read More


AMAT- Flat is better than down-Trailing tool strength offsets memory- backlog up

AMAT- Flat is better than down-Trailing tool strength offsets memory- backlog up
by Robert Maire on 02-20-2023 at 10:00 am

AMAT CVD 3

-Strength in trailing tools offsets weak memory resulting in flat
-Order book very volatile but backlog surprisingly still grew
-Trailing edge VS Leading edge = 50/50 – Foundry/logic over 2/3
-Not nearly as bad as Lam but not as good as ASML

AMAT posts good quarter & guide – Flat for three quarters

Applied Materials… Read More


Lam chops guidance, outlook, headcount- an ugly, long downturn- memory plunges

Lam chops guidance, outlook, headcount- an ugly, long downturn- memory plunges
by Robert Maire on 01-31-2023 at 2:00 pm

Lamb chops

-Lam Research chops guidance, outlook & headcount sharply
-Further declines as 2023 will be H1 weighted- No end in sight
-System sales cut by more than half as even service is cut
-Memory is the culprit as expected-Forcing business “reset”

A sad sounding conference call….

While Lam reported a good December,… Read More


AMAT and Semitool Deja Vu all over again

AMAT and Semitool Deja Vu all over again
by Robert Maire on 11-24-2022 at 6:00 am

Lam SemiWiki SemiSysco

-Lam/Semisysco is a repeat of AMAT/Semitool
-Adds wet processing that larger companies lack
-Semisysco tools amazingly similar to those made by Semitool
-Lightning strikes twice for Ray Thompson

Deja Vu all over again

In a clear example of history repeating itself, Lam Research bought Semisysco, a company founded by Ray Thompson,… Read More


KLAC- Great quarter and year – March Q is turning point of supply chain problem

KLAC- Great quarter and year – March Q is turning point of supply chain problem
by Robert Maire on 01-30-2022 at 10:00 am

KLAC Foundry Logic

-KLAC – great QTR & calendar year but supply chain impacted
-Management feels supply chain to improve after March Q
-Demand remains strong, driven by foundry/logic
-Process management is next best place in industry after litho

Great end to calendar year

KLA reported revenues of $2.53B with non GAAP EPS of $5.59 nicely… Read More


LRCX- Supply Chain Catches up with Lam- Gets worse before better- Demand solid

LRCX- Supply Chain Catches up with Lam- Gets worse before better- Demand solid
by Robert Maire on 01-30-2022 at 6:00 am

Lam Research

-Supply chain issues finally catch up to Lam- Ongoing issue
-Problem from one main supplier to spread to more
-Causes low December Quarter and soft guide for March
-Quarters could be lumpy due to differed & revenue push outs

Lam Stews over supply Chain Issues

It sucks when you have all the demand in the world but can’t build… Read More


LAM – Surfing the Spending Tsunami in Semiconductors – Trailing Edge Terrific

LAM – Surfing the Spending Tsunami in Semiconductors – Trailing Edge Terrific
by Robert Maire on 08-01-2021 at 6:00 am

Lam Research

-$80B + in WFE with strong back half in 2021
-Trailing edge strength adds to overall great demand
-Supply side headwinds require effort- Malaysia now open
-It just comes down to execution which Lam has done well

Nice beat and sandbagged guide
As Lam has done consistently for many quarters now, they beat numbers with Revenues of $4.15B… Read More


SMIC China Sanctions – Headwinds For Applied Materials And Lam Research

SMIC China Sanctions – Headwinds For Applied Materials And Lam Research
by Robert Castellano on 10-05-2020 at 6:00 am

Micron Technology and SMIC C1

On September 26 there were media reports that the U.S. Commerce Department has added China’s largest chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) , to its entity list, after it determined there an “unacceptable risk” that equipment SMIC received could be used for military purposes

U.S. firms would… Read More