The group's principal activity is to develop, manufacture and market photolithography equipment designed to reduce the cost of ownership for manufacturers of integrated circuits, including advanced packaging processes, photomasks, thin film magnetic recording devices and micromachined components. the group supplies step-and-repeat systems based on one-to-one and reduction optical technology to customers located throughout north america, europe, japan and the rest of asia. the group markets and sells products in north america, europe and japan principally through direct sales organization and in the asia/pacific region, excluding japan, primarily through outside sales organizations.