Microchip Technology Ships 500,000th Development Tool to Australian Security Company.

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, today announced the shipment of its 500,000th development tool to Australia's Ness Security Products. Microchip development tools are software and hardware components that are used to design applications using Microchip devices.

Today's announcement reinforces the industry's continued acceptance of Microchip tools by embedded design engineers, who increasingly look to simplify code development while reducing design-software costs. It follows Microchip's recent announcement that it shipped its five billionth PIC([R]) microcontroller to Chinese power-meter maker Jiangsu Linyang Electronics, meaning that there is one development tool for every 10,000 devices delivered worldwide.

"Shipping our 500,000th development tool is a remarkable achievement that clearly demonstrates our commitment to driving improvement and innovation. Microchip's proven ability to provide world-class quality tools has been significant in achieving our role as a world leader in embedded systems solutions," said Mitch Little, vice president of Worldwide Sales and Applications. "This milestone represents the continued success of our 8-bit PIC microcontrollers and analog products, as well as overwhelming enthusiasm for our 16-bit family of dsPIC([R]) digital signal controllers (DSCs) and PIC24 microcontrollers. We are continuing to deliver the best valued tools and best technical support in the industry."

Applications for Microchip's devices in Australia and New Zealand span all sectors, including industrial, consumer, telecommunications and automotive. Examples of final products are security systems, exit and emergency lighting systems, electronic meters, washing machines, water heaters, auto-dialers, poker machines and remote keyless entry systems.

A Microchip customer for over 10 years, Ness Security Products is a leading Australian designer and manufacturer of electronic intrusion alarm systems and detectors, and a major supplier of CCTV and access-control products.

"We use a broad line of Microchip's products, including the PIC16F and PIC12F, to design alarms and access-control products that are used in both domestic and commercial installations," said John Circosta, engineering manager at Ness Security Products. "Thanks to the exceptional development tools and technical support from Microchip, which has helped speed our product development and qualification time, we have a good future with a growing export market to the USA, Europe, South-East Asia and the Pacific Rim countries."

The 500,000th development tool shipped is the MPLAB([R]) PM3 Universal Device Programmer. This tool is easy to use and operates with a PC or as a stand-alone unit to program Microchip's entire line of PIC microcontrollers as well as the latest dsPIC DSCs. This universality continues Microchip's practice of providing tools that are applicable across product family lines.

Included with the MPLAB PM3 Universal Device Programmer is the highly popular, and free, MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE). With this tool, new design activities are simpler to launch, faster to market and can leverage the MPLAB IDE's unified, easy-to-use interface, which accommodates a generous array of software and hardware components.

"From evaluation kits, programmers, in-circuit debuggers to state-of-the art in-circuit emulators that run full speed with tomorrow's highest speed technologies, the development tools from Microchip offer simplicity, power and affordability," said Derek Carlson, vice president of Development Tools at Microchip Technology. "Microchip stands alone among semiconductor companies by offering a low-cost, universal, and truly integrated development environment for 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers, and 16-bit digital signal controllers, ranging from 6-pin to over 100-pin devices."

Microchip's 55,000 customers in more than 65 countries would agree. Creed Huddleston, president of Real-Time by Design, LLC, and author of the new book Intelligent Sensor Design Using the Microchip dsPIC[R] DSC, utilizes Microchip tools in his daily work as an embedded design consultant. Huddleston observes that, "the primary reason for using Microchip development tools is that they are readily available, inexpensive and there are user forums available to get help when the inevitable questions or problems arise. Microchip does a great job of providing low-cost and highly valued tools."

About Ness Security Products

Established in 1972, Ness Security Products Pty Ltd is now a leading Australian designer and manufacturer of electronic intrusion alarm systems and detectors, and a major supplier of CCTV and access control products. Ness research, design and manufacturing is based in Sydney, with sales and customer support offices throughout Australia. For more information, please visit www.ness.com.au.

Microchip Customer Support

Microchip is committed to supporting its customers by helping design engineers develop products faster and more efficiently. Customers can access four main service areas at www.microchip.com. The Support area provides a fast way to get questions answered; the Sample area offers free evaluation samples of any Microchip device; microchipDIRECT provides 24-hour pricing, ordering, inventory and credit for convenient purchasing of all Microchip devices and development tools; finally, the Training area educates customers through webinars, sign-ups for local seminar and workshop courses, and information about the annual MASTERs events held throughout the world.

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Note: The Microchip name and logo, PIC, dsPIC, and MPLAB are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the USA and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.