SSP

Semiconductor Equipment · Private Equity

Acquisition

Keystone Partners reportedly set to close $273M buyout of Korea's SSP

Private equity buyers are increasingly circling niche Korean toolmakers as the AI chip boom reshapes who controls the semiconductor supply chain.

• Keystone Partners is reportedly finalizing its acquisition of SSP, a South Korean semiconductor equipment maker, with the deal expected to close this month in a transaction valued at roughly $273 million.
• The move comes as Korea's chip equipment and materials suppliers face a wave of ownership changes, including SK Group's parallel talks to sell wafer maker SK Siltron to Doosan at a valuation that has climbed toward roughly 7 trillion won amid the semiconductor boom.
• Financial buyers are racing to acquire specialized Korean toolmakers as surging AI-driven chip demand inflates valuations across the semiconductor supply chain, turning once-overlooked equipment vendors into sought-after assets.