Applied Materials and SEMI Lead the Effort to Enhance Environmental Collaboration in the IC Industry.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Groundbreaking China Symposium on March 15-16 Convenes Environmental Experts

Continuing its tradition of environmental leadership, Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT), in conjunction with SEMI, will convene a prominent group of industry leaders, government officials and content experts at a groundbreaking symposium in Shanghai, China, on March 15-16. Titled Environmental Stewardship and Safety in China and Emerging Markets, the symposium will discuss advanced environmental technologies and strategies for sustainable growth of the semiconductor industry.

"By sharing best practices and policy recommendations, we can continue to efficiently and cost-effectively provide environmental, health and safety leadership for the semiconductor industry well into the future," said Dr. David N.K. Wang, executive vice president and president of Applied Materials Asia. "We have assembled a world class group of speakers whose combined expertise covers a vast range of practical solutions for real-world issues that face the global IC community."

Key speakers presenting at the symposium's Management Session include Dr. David N.K. Wang, Applied Materials; Limin Chang, director, Ministry of Information Industry (MII), The People's Republic of China; Amory Lovins, co-founder and CEO of Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI); and Tim Mohin, director of sustainable development for Intel Corp. Other sessions and workshops will address the advantages of operating in an environmentally sound manner, including the benefits of enhanced profitability and proactive corporate citizenship.

Stanley Myers, SEMI president and chief executive officer, noted, "Our goal is to update semiconductor industry managers and executives on the latest environmental solutions, within the context of local government practices and local culture. Since new fabs have the best opportunity to implement the latest environmental methods, the dynamic factory construction program in China offers a unique backdrop for this in-depth discussion of the industry's most innovative applications."

In addition to the speaker program, there will be an exhibit of EcoSys(R) emission abatement tools from Metron Technology, as well as environmental, health and safety training services.

The symposium, which is also supported by the Shanghai Integrated Circuit Association (SICA), the China Electronics Standards Institute (CESI) and the Electrochemical Society (ECS), will be held at the Riverfront Business Hotel in Shanghai. For the complete program and registration, please visit the SEMI website at www.semi.org.

SEMI is a worldwide industry association serving companies that develop and provide manufacturing technology and materials to the global semiconductor, flat panel display, MEMS and related microelectronics industries. SEMI maintains offices in Austin, Beijing, Brussels, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose (Calif.), Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT), headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is the largest supplier of equipment and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials' web site is www.appliedmaterials.com.