A growing number of manufacturers are transferring the burden of purchasing and managing capital equipment to asset management companies to optimize their resources. We'd like to think that this is because of the missionary work that we have done in the past. Their services provide an alternative for companies faced with technological changes as the industry migrates toward 300 mm, copper processes and low-k materials. San Diego-based Comdisco Electronics, whose customers include more than half of the 20 top chip makers, buys equipment from some of the industry's leading capital equipment makers and then leases it to semiconductor manufacturers. The lease terms are flexible and can average from 36 to 48 months.
Customers have the option of renewing the leases before the terms expire.
At the end of the lease term, the lessee can extend the lease or purchase the equipment at fair market value, or Comdisco can take possession of the equipment and resell it in another market. Comdisco also offers remarketing services in which it helps companies find customers for their own used equipment. In a competitive market with constantly changing technologies, there is always a piece of equipment sitting in the wrong place at the wrong time. With our remarketing program, we can become an agent for matching equipment. The company predicted its asset management business would continue to grow as more semiconductor manufacturers seek ways to reduce expenses and to operate more efficiently.