To complete the wide-ranging SIPLACE Excellence restructuring program and prepare for the planned transfer of SIPLACEs ownership from Siemens AG to ASM Pacific Technology, SIPLACE Head of Development Guuml;nter Schindler has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the global SIPLACE team effective October 1, 2010. Schindler thus becomes a member of the Management Committee along with CFO Ingrid Gaggermeier and SIPLACE CEO Guuml;nter Lauber. The Management Committee is the highest executive entity of the global SIPLACE team with its headquarters in Munich, its manufacturing locations in Germany and Singapore, and its seven regional SIPLACE sales and service clusters in Germany, Northwest, Southwest and Central Europe, the Americas, China and Southeast Asia (including Japan and Korea). Guuml;nter Schindler, who was born in 1963, has played a significant role in the success of SIPLACE placement equipment. He joined the SIPLACE team in 1987 as a production engineer and since 1990 has occupied various management positions in development, production and supply chain management. Schindler is looking forward to his new job: I am convinced that SIPLACE is moving in the right direction, as reflected by the outstanding response to our SIPLACE SX. I will focus my entire energy on continuing to develop with the entire SIPLACE team technology- and market-leading placement machines that meet our customers needs in the various regions of the world, along with stable development, production and delivery processes. The expansion of the Management Committee from two to three persons reflects the structure and focus of our soon-to-be new owner ASM PT. The appointment of Guuml;nter Schindler to SIPLACE COO is not only a reward for his outstanding performance, but a motivation for the entire technical segment of the SIPLACE team. Last year, the SIPLACE team executed an unequaled campaign of innovation something which Guuml;nter Schindler will continue to do in his new position, said SIPLACE CEO Guuml Lauber.