Kulicke & Soffa began as a small shop in Philadelphia in 1951, offering contract and repair services to the burgeoning semiconductor industry. In 1954, the company developed its first special-purpose assembly tool, and the business quickly evolved into a manufacturer of specialized assembly equipment. In the 1960s, KNSI introduced its first automated equipment and began to expand its facilities and operations. In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, the company went public, introduced new equipment and developed new technologies.