Lam Research, based in Fremont, California, makes the machines that chipmakers use to build semiconductors on silicon wafers, and sells service for them. Its customers are memory, foundry and other chip manufacturers, which make chips for phones, computers, servers, cars and data storage. Its most significant customers in recent years have been Micron, Samsung, SK hynix and TSMC.
Its equipment covers three main steps. Deposition tools lay down thin layers of metal and insulating material. Etch tools cut patterns into those layers. Clean tools remove particles and residue between steps. It also sells tools for advanced chip packaging and for a newer dry process for the photoresist (the light-sensitive layer used to print circuit patterns). Its Customer Support Business Group sells services, spare parts, upgrades, and new and refurbished older-generation tools to keep customers' installed equipment running.
Lam says chipmakers are moving to three-dimensional chip designs, which makes manufacturing more complex and drives demand for its tools. A large share of its sales and operations is outside the United States. It assembles and tests systems mostly in cleanrooms and outsources parts of manufacturing, warehousing and logistics to other companies.