Customers Rank MRC Among the 10 Best Companies in the World; MRC Receives VLSI Research's 10 BEST Award in the Small Equipment Suppliers for Wafer Processing Category.

ORANGEBURG, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 11, 1996--Materials Research Corporation (MRC), a leading supplier of manufacturing equipment and materials for the worldwide semiconductor and magnetics industries, today announced that it has been ranked among the VLSI Research 10 BEST Companies-marking the second time MRC has received this award from VLSI Research's annual customer satisfaction survey.

Commenting on the results, VLSI Research's Chief Executive Officer Jerry D. Hutcheson noted, "MRC returns as a VLSI Research 10 BEST Award recipient for the second time. Their repeat appearance demonstrates the company's continued commitment to customer satisfaction on a global scale."

Commenting on the achievement, MRC President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Marmen said, "We are extremely honored to be recognized among the industry's global leaders in the semiconductor equipment industry. Receiving this award is testament to MRC's global commitment to providing advanced process technology and superior customer service and support."

Customer responses to the survey reflected MRC's strong technical leadership, as well as the quality and responsiveness of MRC's customer support team. To enhance the company's existing customer support program, MRC recently expanded its warranty program to include field service and process support availability-24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. In addition, MRC nearly doubled its field service, field process and technical support staff in 1995 to further enhance its support capabilities.

Marmen cited that this award follows on the heels of other achievements that took place during 1995. MRC's Sputtering Systems Division (SSD) received the Achievement Award from Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) for providing quality manufacturing equipment and outstanding customer support. In addition, MRC's Advanced Materials Division (AMD) facility in Orangeburg, New York received ISO 9001 certification.

In determining the 10 BEST recipients, VLSI Research sent out more than 54,000 questionnaires in six languages-English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German and French-to semiconductor companies in all areas of the world. Users of semiconductor capital equipment were asked to rate their suppliers in eight categories which exemplify a supplier's relationship with its customers. These eight categories include three measures of equipment performance: (1) product performance, (2) uptime, and (3) quality of results; plus five measures of customer service: (1) process support, (2) software support, (3) technical leadership, (4) service after sales, and (5) overall commitment to supporting customers' needs.

VLSI Research Inc, a market research company located in Silicon Valley, is generally recognized as the leading company covering semiconductor manufacturing equipment. It was founded in 1976, and has performed these annual surveys of customer satisfaction for the past eight years. The principal purpose in performing the surveys is to provide a report card on individual suppliers in order to promote improved customer relationships and to identify those issues and trends which are most sensitive to customers' needs.

Materials Research Corporation, founded in 1957 and headquartered in Orangeburg, New York, is a world leader in processing equipment and high purity materials for the semiconductor and magnetic thin-film industries. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, MRC serves its worldwide customers through manufacturing and R&D facilities in the United States, Europe and Asia, backed by dedicated equipment and materials technical support groups as well as a global network of sales and service resources for the entire MRC product line.

CONTACT: Materials Research Corp.

Betsy Mularoni, 602/507-4937

or

VLSI Research Inc.

Lisa Steele, 408/453-8844

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MCA Inc.

Sheryl Moreno, 415/968-8900