EXTRANCHECK: PRE LICENSE CHECK: SOITEC

UNCLAS HONG KONG 001747 SIPDIS USDOC FOR 532/OEA/MHAMES/LLAUCIUS USDOC FOR 3132 FOR FCS/OIO REGIONAL DIRECTOR WILLIAM ZARIT BICE FOR OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS SINGAPORE FOR FCS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BMGT BEXP ETRD ETTC HK SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: PRE LICENSE CHECK: SOITEC SINGAPORE PTE LTD. REF: A) USDOC 05664 B) D377621 1.Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. ¶2. As per reftel A request and at the direction of the Office of Enforcement Analysis (OEA) of the USDOC Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Regional Export Control Officer Philip Ankel (ECO) conducted a pre-license check (PLC) at Soitec Singapore Pte Ltd., BL Pasir Ris Industrial Drive 1, Singapore (Soitec). The item in question is an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer valued at USD 140,000. The item is classified under Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 3A233 and controlled for nuclear nonproliferation (NP) reasons. The license applicant is Perkinelmer Las., Inc. of Shelton, Connecticut. ¶3. According to the Singapore companies registry, Soitec has been in existence since 2006. Its paid-up share capital is the Singapore equivalent of USD 1. Singapore national, Ms Anne Choo and French nationals Maurice Maxima Mauberger Pascal and Andre Jacques Herve are listed as directors. The company registry lists the French company, SOITEC Silicon On Insulator Technologies S.A., as the sole shareholder. ¶4. On June 21, 2007, the ECO, accompanied by Singapore Customs representative Kevin Boo, met with Daniel Nogueira, Purchasing Director and Elaine Toh, Purchasing Manager. Mr. Nogueira provided a short overview of Soitec, which is a French multinational producer of advanced substrates for use in various computer applications. One of its main customers is AMD, which uses Soitec wafers in its computers. Soitec is presently constructing a new Fab in Singapore due to begin operation in September 2007. More information about Soitec and the new Singapore Fab can be found at www.soitec.com. ¶5. As to the specific item in question, Mr. Nogueira stated that it would be used in production of wafers to test against metal contamination on wafers and in chemicals used during the production process. The ECO explained that the item is controlled for export and reexport and provided additional background information and documentation on the U.S. export controls associated with the item. ¶6. At the time visited, Soitec appeared to be a suitable recipient of the item in question since Soitec operates a line of business that is consistent with the item's potential use and understands its responsibilities under the export administration regulations for its potential use of the controlled item. The ECO recommends that this PLC be classified as Favorable. Cunningham