Chartered Semiconductor Mfg. announces technical collaboration agreement with Toshiba to produce 0.5 micron technology; Toshiba makes equity investment in CSM.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1994--Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of integrated circuits, Friday announced it has entered into a technical collaboration agreement with Toshiba Corp. of Japan to produce 0.5 micron multilayer metal process technology.

As part of the agreement, Toshiba will make an equity investment in CSM.

"This agreement allows us to match the production process capabilities of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world," said Steve Della Rocchetta, vice president of marketing for CSM. "Collaboration with Toshiba will also bring technical know-how that compliments Chartered's own research and development."

The state-of-the-art 0.5 micron technology will be available for prototyping in early 1995 and will be available in production quantities in 1996 in CSM's Fab II, which is located in Singapore. Currently under construction, Fab II is scheduled to begin operation in late 1995. It will have an output capacity of 24,000 eight-inch wafers per month, with technology processes ranging from 0.5 to 0.2 microns.

CSM is a foundry-only company that offers a full line of advanced CMOS processes, ranging from 0.6 micron to 1.5 micron linewidths and a variety of technologies including digital, mixed-signal, EEPROM, high-density ROM, high-speed SRAM and NVSRAM. The company delivers full turnkey solutions from mask generation to finished package parts.

CSM employs approximately 600 people worldwide and is a member of Singapore Technologies Holding, a Singapore-based engineering group of more than 100 companies. CSM has offices in Singapore, Taiwan and San Jose.

CONTACT: Chartered Semiconductor Mfg., San Jose

             Steve Della Rocchetta, 408/456-2711
             Stapleton Communications Inc.
             Deborah Stapleton, 415/988-9207