Set up a division under Telford to design, manufacture and market tape & reel machines under the “Telford” brand. The “Telford” brand is later changed to “STI” brand.

Flextech Holdings Limited (“Flextech”) acquired two business units, of Texas Instruments Inc. through Semiconductor Technologies & Instruments Pte Ltd (“STI PL”) and Semiconductor Technologies & Instruments Inc. (“STII”) in Dallas respectively. The acquisition represented an opportunity for Telford to integrate its core competencies into the manufacture of vision inspection and laser marking equipment used in the semiconductor industry. Both units following the acquisition retained many of the research personnel. A new ‘STI’ brand was born with the integration of the business units.

STII completed development of its wafer inspection equipment and sold to major semiconductor manufacturers in Japan and Europe, representing its first foray into the front-end inspection equipment industry for the semiconductor manufacturing process.

STI PL set up Semiconductors Technologies & Instruments Taiwan Inc. (“STI Taiwan”), a sales & service support centre in Taiwan.

Parent company, ASTI, set up representative office in Shanghai, China.

Parent company, ASTI, migrated from SESDAQ to Mainboard in Singapore Exchange on 28 April 2005.

Acquisition of SPNTEC Co. Ltd (“SPNTEC”) for sales & service support in Korea.

Parent company, ASTI, acquired 51.4% of SGX SESDAQ-listed Advanced Systems Automation Limited ("ASA"), a global manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, to expand into additional business sectors as well as accelerating its expansion into North Asia, especially China.

Parent company, ASTI , acquired Dragon Technology Distribution Co., Ltd (“Dragon Technology”) and Dragon Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited (“DTS”) through Flextech. Dragon Technology is a distribution company with significant operations in China and this enables Flextech to expand its reach in North Asia through the newly acquired extensive network.

Flextech changed its name to Dragon Group International Limited ("DGI").