Mksinst

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ: MKSI) was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts. The company develops foundational technologies for semiconductor manufacturing and advanced electronics. While it is a global US-based corporation, MKS maintains a strong Israeli presence stemming from its 2011 acquisition of Jerusalem-based Ophir Optronics for approximately $234 million.

MKS develops process control systems, precision measurement equipment, RF power generators, and specialty chemicals. Its hardware is sold primarily into the semiconductor capital equipment supply chain, serving OEMs such as Applied Materials and Lam Research, as well as directly to semiconductor fabricators.

The company's hardware portfolio spans several major divisions. It includes vacuum and gas measurement tools, Spectra-Physics lasers (acquired in 2016), and a wide range of photonics, infrared optics, and laser measurement equipment marketed globally under the Ophir brand.

The company operates as a hardware and chemical component supplier in the global semiconductor manufacturing landscape. It has expanded its footprint through acquisitions, completing the purchase of Newport Corporation in 2016 and acquiring the specialty chemicals firm Atotech in 2022. These transactions diversified MKS into advanced optics, photonics, and printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing chemistry.

The Israeli operations of MKS Instruments are anchored by the legacy Ophir Optronics facility in Jerusalem. The local site handles the research, development, and manufacturing of infrared optical components and laser measurement systems. Teams in Israel include optics engineers, mechanical engineers, electronics developers, and production staff operating dedicated manufacturing lines.