DLA Piper advises Knight Auto on acquisition of Champion Precision Manufacturing

DLA Piper has advised Knight Auto Precision Engineering (Knight Auto), a provider of precision engineering solutions for the semiconductor industry, on its successful acquisition of Singapore-based Champion Precision Manufacturing (Champion), a supplier of precision components for semiconductor bonding machines and wafer testing processes. Knight Auto is a portfolio company of Templewater, a leading private equity firm particularly active in the Asia Pacific region. The transaction closed on 28 March 2025.

Champion provides advanced machining, module assembly, and customised solutions for semiconductor testing applications. Established in 2007, the company provides critical components such as probe card stiffeners, test sockets, and inspection fixtures. With expertise across the full-spectrum of engineering services, Champion supports multinational corporations across Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe.

The acquisition of Champion expands Knight Auto's portfolio of offerings, enabling the combined company to better serve customers across the semiconductor value chain. By integrating Champion's expertise with Knight Auto's leading solutions, the unified company will deliver a broader range of advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies to its global customer base.

James Chang, Corporate partner based in Beijing led the DLA Piper team. Commenting on the transaction he said, "This deal represents a significant milestone in Knight Auto's journey to expand its capabilities in the semiconductor industry and deliver an enhanced offering to its customers. The transaction demonstrates DLA Piper's deep knowledge in the technology and advanced manufacturing sectors, as well as our strength in delivering a best-in-class service across multiple jurisdictions seamlessly."

James was supported on the mergers and acquisitions aspects by senior associate Wenhong You (Shanghai) and consultant Hao Guo (Beijing), along with Corporate partner Katherine Chew, senior associate Karen Lee and associate Melvin Chua (all Singapore). Katherine, Karen and Melvin also provided Singapore corporate transactional advice and facilitated the closing. Vincent Seah, Country Managing Partner in Singapore provided debt financing advice with support from senior associate Wei Hong Wong (Singapore). Singapore partner Nathan (Nate) Bush provided advice on antitrust and competition law.

Consultant Mingrui Jin and associate Sophia Sun from Shanghai Kaiman Law Firm also provided support on the transaction. Robin Lynn & Lee provided advice on Malaysian laws.