ASM International today announced that it has finalized the sale of its 72.86% interest in NanoPhotonics AG, a company engaged in defect measurement equipment for the semiconductor industry, to Ricmar Beteiligungs GmbH, of Kramsach, Austria. This divestiture is part of ASMI's plan to focus on its core wafer processing portfolio strengths as outlined in its Roadmap to Front-end Peer Group Profitability.
ASMI recorded an impairment charge of €1.4 million related to goodwill of its investment in NanoPhotonics in the 2008 second quarter, and the Company does not expect this transaction to have any additional material impact on its Statement of Operations.