Applied Materials to Boost Stake in BESI to 20% to Deepen AI Chip Partnership

Applied Materials announced on Monday its plan to more than double its stake in Dutch company BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) to approximately 20%. The move aims to deepen a strategic partnership focused on developing advanced chip-packaging technologies essential for next-generation artificial intelligence hardware.

Deal Details

According to a company statement, Applied Materials has entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement to acquire the additional shares. The transaction is subject to a U.S. antitrust review.

Key terms of the expanded investment include:

• Applied Materials' stake will increase from 9% to about 20%.
• The company stated it does not intend to raise its stake beyond this level.
• Applied Materials will not seek representation on BESI's board.

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This follows Applied Materials' initial investment in April 2025, which made it BESI's largest shareholder with a 9% holding.

Strategic Focus on Advanced Packaging

The deepened collaboration will concentrate on new chip-connection and packaging methods, particularly hybrid bonding. This technology is a critical advanced packaging technique that allows for the stacking and connecting of multiple chips to create more powerful and efficient semiconductors, a key requirement for high-performance AI systems.

Applied Materials and BESI have been collaborating on hybrid bonding technology since 2020. This increased investment signals a stronger commitment to co-developing solutions that address the growing complexity and performance demands of the AI industry, where packaging is becoming as crucial as the silicon itself.