ASM International and Hitachi Kokusai Sign Licensing Agreement for
Atomic Layer Deposition Technology
BILTHOVEN, The Netherlands, November 27, 2007 - ASM International
N.V. (Nasdaq: ASMI and Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) and Hitachi Kokusai
Electric Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange (1st Section), and Osaka
Securities Exchange (1st Section): Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.)
announced today that they have signed a licensing agreement.
According to this agreement ASM grants usage of its Atomic Layer
Deposition (ALD) patents in the field of use of batch ALD to Hitachi
Kokusai Electric Inc. Detailed terms of the agreement were not
disclosed.
ASM has been a pioneer in ALD for many years and owns a substantial
patent portfolio, including ALD patents and patents relating to batch
ALD processing in a vertical furnace. With this technique it is
possible to use ALD in a vertical furnace and process multiple wafers
at the same time. This can give significant cost-of-ownership
benefits for various ALD applications.
Dr. Albert Hasper, general manager of ASME commented: "ASM is
renowned for its power of innovation, particularly in the area of
ALD. Company policy for years has been to invest strongly in
innovation and its protection. We are pleased that Hitachi Kokusai
Electric Inc. recognized the value of this IP portfolio and that we
have reached this agreement in a professional and business manner to
the benefit of both companies. We believe it is in the best interest
of the semiconductor industry to license this technology and allow
another supplier to join us in serving the rapidly growing need for
cost-effective ALD processing capabilities."
Mr. Shoichiro Izumi, general manager of Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
commented: "We have been proceeding the development of Batch ALD over
a period of time, and contributing to our customers' production of
excellent semiconductor devices. We believe that this agreement will
make progress in development of ALD technologies, and that we will
contribute much further to our customers' advantage."
About ASM
ASM International N.V. and its subsidiaries design and manufacture
equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. The
company provides production solutions for wafer processing (Front-end
segment) as well as assembly and packaging (Back-end segment) through
facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM
International's common stock trades on NASDAQ (symbol ASMI) and the
Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol ASM). For more information,
visit ASMI's web site at www.asm.com.
About Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. designs and manufactures Wireless
Communication and Information System, Broadcasting and Video Systems,
and Semiconductor Manufacturing Systems, and globally provides those
systems to the United States, Europe, Asia, etc. Hitachi Kokusai
Electric Inc.'s common stock trades on Tokyo Stock Exchange (1st
Section), and Osaka Securities Exchange (1st Section). For more
information, visit Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.'s web site at
www.h-kokusai.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995: All matters discussed in this statement, except
for any historical data, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to,
economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry
generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically,
currency fluctuations, the timing of significant orders, market
acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving
intellectual property, shareholder and other issues, commercial and
economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity,
armed conflict or political instability, epidemics and other risks
indicated in the Company's filings from time to time with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to,
the Company's reports on Form 20-F and Form 6-K. The Company assumes
no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking
statements to reflect future developments or circumstances.
Contacts ASM:
Naud van der Ven +31 30 229 8540
Erik Kamerbeek +31 30 229 8500
Mary Jo Dieckhaus +1 212 986 2900
Contact Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
Akira Makita +81-3-6734-9401
