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If you were to graph the life cycle of a small Shoreview company, a quick sketch of a mountain range might be your result.
In fact, "peaks and valleys" seems the best way to describe the last decade or so at Micro Component Technology.
Certainly, this leading manufacturer of semiconductor testing and handling equipment has weathered its fair share of sun and storm--rising, then plummeting sales; a brush with bankruptcy; a complete restructuring; and, ultimately, a turnaround.
By 1993, the 320-employee MCT was enjoying an upswing, reporting profitability for the first time in years. Then last fall, it went public and raised more than $26 million.
Since 1972, MCT has manufactured a line of products for testing and handling integrated circuitry, or IC, devices--commonly known as computer chips.
These testers are specialized computer controlled electronic systems programmed to evaluate critical functions of IC devices. They are designed to deliver a lower cost test, greater accuracy and more dependability. Handlers are electromechanical systems that connect to a tester to change the temperature during the testing, presentation and sorting process.
MCT claims to be the only major...