Description Fortrend makes equipment for storing and transporting photomasks in semiconductor manufacturing facilities. Photomasks, also known as masks or reticles, are the quartz lenses used in optical lithography machines to print circuits onto a silicon wafer. An advanced semiconductor design may call for dozens of masks, so safely handling those masks as they are moved from one lithography system to another is a priority for chip makers. Fortrend was established in 1979 as an engineering consulting firm, then shifted its focus to reticle automation equipment in 1989. The company had a change in management in 2002. Founder and former CEO John M. Rush is the majority shareholder.