Exsil Announces Laporte Electronics Group Reorganization.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 1998--Roy Parrott, divisional chairman of Laporte Electronics and a director of Laporte, will be retiring on Dec. 31, 1998.

Leading up to this date, Parrott will be relinquishing some of his duties including responsibility for the Electronics Group. As from Oct. 1, 1998, the responsibility for the group was passed to Dr. Clive Rankin, director of development. The group has been restructured to form three global divisions, namely:

Chemicals -- Managing Director, George Letman

With plants in the UK, France, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States, this division serves both the printed circuit board industry, principally with its innovative and patented "shadow" technology and the semiconductor and Photomask markets with high purity chemicals.

Photomasks -- Managing Director, Andre Hawryliw

This division produces complex Photmasks for the ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) market with plants in Scotland and the United States. The emerging presence in the United States will be headed by Mark Crownover.

Silicon Wafer Reclaim -- Managing Director, John Hardin 

With its facilities in the UK, France and the United States, this division serves the worldwide semiconductor industry with high-quality reclaim test wafers.

As part of the restructuring, Laporte will be investing in new equipment and facilities and closing down its older, inefficient plants. This includes the wafer reclaim facilities in Sulphur, Okla., and the older of the two reclaim facilities in Riddings, Derbyshire.

The result of this restructuring will be an Electronics Group operating from modern, well-invested facilities worldwide, able to meet the stringent quality and service demands of Laporte's global customers.