Ichor Systems’ CEO on the Company’s Growth and Plans for the Future

Thomas M. Rohrs has served as Executive Chairman and Director of Ichor Systems since February 2012 and as Chief Executive Officer since September 2014. Prior to serving at Ichor, Mr. Rohrs worked as CEO and Chairman of Skyline Solar from 2010 to 2012 and at Electroglas from 2006 to 2009. Mr. Rohrs was also Senior Vice President of global operations and member of the executive committee for Applied Materials from 1997 to 2002 and as Vice President of worldwide operations for Silicon Graphics from 1992 to 1997. He currently serves on the board of directors of Advanced Energy and Intevac and was previously sat on the board of directors of Magma Design Automation, Ultra Clean Technologies, and Vignani Technologies. Mr. Rohrs holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a MBA from the Harvard Business School. Here he tells CEO Today about the premier engineering and design provider of fluid delivery systems – Ichor Systems and his company’s achievements and goals for the future.

What steps has Ichor Systems taken in recent years to ensure its continued success?

It is our mission to provide fluid expertise across all critical areas of semiconductor manufacturing through strong engineering design and manufacturing. It is our strategy to continue to expand through organic and inorganic growth to create a larger revenue stream and optimize our operations, while adding more and more capability to make our customers more successful. We have been doing very well in providing our expertise (increased penetrations across all platforms), growing organically and through acquisitions (37% CAGR) and continuously improving our operations (reducing OPEX 13.2% to 10.2% from 2014-2016). We have recently acquired several companies that support our strategic growth initiative in plastics machining, weldments and precision machining. At Ichor Systems, we are constantly working with our customers to help them improve their products and currently enjoying the results of a project with one of our major customers which is expanding our liquid delivery capabilities.

What attributes would you say are key in achieving the status and success that your company has earned?

The key factors to our success are:

• We are a key player in the semiconductor supply chain.
• We are very strong in our technical capabilities to solve difficult fluid delivery problems.
• We know how to deliver those solutions to our customers.
• We have a talented global workforce that is loyal to helping our customers be successful.
• We have a forward-thinking executive team that encourages and supports our employees to deliver the best we have to offer.

We have grown faster than the market and adapted to change along with our customers. Our level of collaboration has been the single most important factor in our success. We are a leading provider and our name is well recognized as the premier engineering and design provider of fluid delivery systems to our customers.

What future do you see for Ichor Systems in 2018 and beyond?

We are continually looking at new technologies and better ways to employ approaches that make more efficient products. While we are mostly pro-active in our strategies, we still see the need to be positively reactive to our customers.

Moving forward, Ichor is actively pursuing ways to improve functionality and reduce costs by the use of the latest technologies applied to our design for new and potential products in gas and liquid delivery systems.

Our vision is to continue to expand through organic and inorganic growth, so the market should expect to see a larger revenue Ichor continuing to lean itself down and optimizing its operations while adding more and more capability.

What advice would you give to other CEOs in the manufacturing and engineering sector?

Make it a priority to figure out how to grow faster than your market, both organically and inorganically. Be prepared to adapt to change from your customers and their customers. Finally, be willing to collaborate with your customers. Working alongside them will help to deliver solutions to the market faster.