Cabot Microelectronics Receives Intel's Preferred Quality Supplier Award.

AURORA, Ill. -- Cabot Microelectronics Corporation was named a recipient of Intel Corporation's Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) award for outstanding performance in providing products and services deemed essential to Intel's success. The company was recognized for its efforts in supplying Intel with CMP polishing slurries. Cabot Microelectronics and 43 additional PQS award winners will be honored at a celebration in Burlingame, California on March 27.

"We are honored to win this prestigious award from Intel, whom we value very much as a customer," said William Noglows, chairman and CEO of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation. "Intel can always be counted on to stretch our technical capabilities to their limits, and to drive us to better product performance, cost and quality."

"Intel has had a long and successful history with Cabot Microelectronics," said Cari Shim, Chemical Gas Operations commodity manager, Global Fab Materials, Intel Corporation. "Intel is proud to award Cabot Microelectronics with our PQS award for its performance in 2006. Cabot Microelectronics' commitment to excellence and continuous improvement makes them a highly valued supplier to Intel. We congratulate Cabot Microelectronics on this accomplishment."

The PQS award is part of Intel's Supplier Continuous Improvement (SCQI) process that encourages suppliers to strive for excellence and continuous improvement. To qualify for PQS status, suppliers must score 80 percent on a report card that assesses performance and ability to meet cost, quality, availability, delivery, technology and responsiveness goals. Suppliers must also manage and deliver on a challenging improvement plan and a quality systems assessment. Additional information about the SCQI program is available at http://supplier.intel.com/quality/.

Intel will also recognize PQS award winners on March 27, 2007 with an advertisement in the U.S., Europe, and Asian editions of The Wall Street Journal.

About Cabot Microelectronics

Cabot Microelectronics Corporation, headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, is the world's leading supplier of CMP slurries used in semiconductor and data storage manufacturing. The company's products play a critical role in the production of the most advanced semiconductor devices, enabling the manufacture of smaller, faster and more complex devices by its customers. Since becoming an independent public company in 2000, the company has grown to nearly 750 employees who work at research and development labs, sales and business offices, manufacturing facilities and customer service centers in China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The company's vision is to become the world leader in shaping, enabling and enhancing the performance of surfaces, and thus looks beyond its core CMP business in the semiconductor industry. For more information about Cabot Microelectronics Corporation, visit www.cabotcmp.com or contact Bill Johnson, Vice President and CFO.