Chip Makers Head for Semicon West

Chip-equipment makers from No. 1 Applied Materials Inc. to closely held rookie NuTool Inc. will gather starting today to showcase products and tout plans to take advantage of new production trends. Semicon West, the world’s biggest trade show for makers of chip manufacturing and testing tools, will bring as many as 65,000 investors, analysts and executives, organizers said. The weeklong event in San Francisco and San Jose, sponsored by trade group Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International, has been growing as rising stock prices catch Wall Street’s attention and chip makers such as Intel Corp. add new plants and revive old ones to meet demand. Attendance has climbed 30% since 1995.