Chip Express announces the first LPGA production shipment from its European service center; the first LPGA -- Laser Programmable Gate Array -- production devices manufactured in Europe -- Germany -- were shipped to 3Com UK.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 24, 1997--Chip Express Corp. today announced the first shipment of its LPGA production devices from the recently established production services center at IMS Chips (Stuttgart, Germany) to its customer 3Com, UK.

An 80,000-gate LPGA base array was customized for 3Com's telecommunication application at IMS Chips. The LPGA customization process was completed implementing Chip Express' OneMask(R) technology for operating the E-BEAM system. This operation provides a one week turn-around time for ASIC production.

The capability to provide the LPGA production from within a European fabrication facility, and not have it delivered from the United States, as in the past, has significant time saving advantages. Chip Express can now offer the European market the benefits of time-to-market and flexible production of low volume ASIC.

"Shipping from Europe, Chip Express provided parts in double quick time with a minimum of fuss for 3Com's latest Ethernet project, allowing us to start board level system evaluation early. By using Chip Express, we gained a significant time advantage with the assurance of quick iterations, if needed," stated Kevin O'Brien, Programmer Manager, 3Com Premises Distribution Division, Hemel Hempstead, UK.

"The cooperation with IMS CHIPS enables us to expand our presence in Europe and better service the ASIC market and answer its need for time to market. Since the cooperation agreement signed between the companies in November of last year, IMS Chips engineers have proven their ability to implement the OneMask process and have a successful operation in place," stated Alon Kapel, Director of European Operations for Chip Express.

"This is very encouraging and paves the way for the development of the next generation of sub-micron LPGA fabrication. I believe that the long-term relationship with IMS CHIPS accelerates Chip Express' services in Europe, particularly to meet the requirements of low-volume ASIC users. Today, these ASIC designers cannot get an efficient solution from the conventional ASIC suppliers who focus on high volumes or from the FPGA vendors who offer higher production prices and cannot always meet the performance requirements," added Kapel.

Chip Express provides ASIC services to major accounts in Europe including 3Com, Alcatel, Nortel, Phillips and Siemens. The company has sales representatives and is engaged with ASIC design houses in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, UK and Spain.

Chip Express is currently in the process of developing the 0.35 micron LPGA. With this capability, the company will provide significantly cheaper access to ASIC production while maintaining the rapid turn-around time advantage. The large number of European companies that have moderate volume requirements and want to avoid the huge NRE costs associated with 0.35m/8" fabs will mostly benefit from this offering.

OneMask Technology for fast-turn and cost-competitive, low-volume ASICs

The OneMask technology process is an effective solution for low- volume production of high performance, high density gate array devices. This technology is a proprietary single-etch step process personalizing one wafer at a time using only one mask. This technology enables delivering high-density ASIC devices (10k-200K gates + up to 128k embedded RAM/ROM), in as short as one week, offered without costly mask charges (using only one mask or E-Bean no-mask) and at competitive prices.

For the prototyping phase, Chip Express employs the laser micro-machining system which can personalize one die at a time in just a couple of hours and requires no masks. Using the same base wafer and layout for the LPGA prototyping and production, Chip Express provides a quick and seamless transition to any volume required. Production volumes may be as low as 10 units per shipment.

Chip Express Corp. is the world leader in "Time-to-Market Solution(R)" for high-performance, high-density ASIC devices. Chip Express provides the industry's fastest-turn ASIC products including a one-day gate array prototyping service utilizing the QuICk(R) System laser micro-machine; one week low-volume production utilizing its innovative OneMask(R) process and a smooth transition to cost competitive high volume production deliverable in one month.

Chip Express is a privately held corporation, incorporated in the United States in 1989.

From its headquarters in Santa Clara, Chip Express services leading-edge computer, communications, military and consumer companies worldwide including Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, 3Com, Cisco, Adaptec, Bay Networks, Lockheed Martin and National Semiconductor.

Chip Express started its European operation activities at the end of 1996, signing a cooperation agreement with IMS Chips (Stuttgart, Germany) and establishing sales representatives in Europe. The European Operations headquarters is in Israel and offers the design services of qualified design centers in the UK, Spain, Belgium, Germany and France.

EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS CHIP EXPRESS LTD. PO BOX 2401 Haifa, 31000 Israel Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

BELGIUM EASICS NV Jan Decaluwe Research Park Haasrode Interleuvenlaan 86 B-3001 Leuven, (Heverlee) Belgium Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail [e-mail]

FRANCE MISIL Jeff Lambert 2, rue de la Couture - Silic 301 94588 RUNGIS CEDEX Tel: [phone] Fax:[phone] Mobile [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

GERMANY TRIAS MIKROELEKTRONIK GMBH Klaus Steinheuer Moerser Landstr. 408, D-47802 Krefeld Germany Tel [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

ISRAEL AST 3 Hazan st., Ra'anana, , Israel, 43563 Tel: + 972 (0) 9 7744278 Fax: + 972 (0) 9 7744499 E-mail: [e-mail]

THE NETHERLANDS CHESS Engineering B.V. Nieuwe Gracht 39 2011 NC HAARLEM The Netherlands Tel: + 31 (0) 23 5 149 149 Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND Chip Express (UK) Chancery Court Business Centre Limited Lincolns Inn, Lincoln Road, High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP12 3RE Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

EUROSEL SALES CONSULTANTS Neil Probert 9 Southview, High Road, Cookham, Berkshire SL6 9JW Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

SILICON SALES CONSULTANTS Melissa Briggs Rowemount, Hook Lane, Aldingbourne Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 6TQ Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

SPAIN SIDSA P.T.M. Centro de Empresas c/Isaac Newton 1 28760 TRES CANTOS (MADRID) Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

CONTACT: Chip Express

Tsipi Landen, 408/235-7300

E-mail: [e-mail]

or

Chip Express/IMS CHIPS

Alon Kapel, [phone], Ext. 206

E-mail: [e-mail]