Palomar Technologies Announces New Asian Sales Representatives; Regional Reps Deliver Palomar's Equipment to Rapidly Growing Asian Opto-Electronics Manufacturing Market.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

VISTA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 2003

Palomar Technologies, a leading manufacturer of automated, high-precision assembly systems, today announced it has entered into agreements with several companies to sell Palomar's assembly automation products and process development services in Asia.

Autron, the leading system integrator in the Asian market, will offer Palomar's equipment and process solutions to its expanding optoelectronics customer base in Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and China. Palomar's representatives in China also include Dymek Asia and ETSC Tech. Globaltech Corp. will represent Palomar in the Philippines, with Qualmax Inc. in South Korea, and Marubun Corp. in Japan.

"Asia will continue to be an emerging and rapidly growing player in global optoelectronics assembly," said Wai Seng, director of Palomar Technologies (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Palomar Technologies Inc. "The representatives we have chosen understand the market and have a proven reputation for sales and service in this region, making them ideal partners to help us deliver on our commitment to the Asian region."

The largest representative is Autron Corp. Ltd., a company publicly-listed on the mainboards of the Singapore and Australian Stock Exchanges. Autron is a total solutions supplier of assembly equipment and services to the electronics industry, providing sales, distribution, support and manufacturing services. The group owns more than 30 sales and service centers in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

"As we looked at the market landscape, we clearly saw the leadership position of Palomar Technologies' solutions," said Tan Cheng Leong, Autron Group executive chairman. "After discussing this with our key customers and ensuring we had alignment with Palomar's vision, we made the strategic decision to move forward. We look forward to a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship with Palomar Technologies."

About Palomar Technologies

Established in 1975 as part of Hughes Aircraft Co., Palomar Technologies has been an independent company since 1995. It is a leading supplier of automated high-precision assembly systems that increase yield and lower costs for manufacturers of optoelectronic, RF and microelectronic packages in the photonic, wireless, microwave, automotive, aerospace, medical and life sciences industries. Palomar automates processes that include high accuracy component assembly with eutectic solder, epoxy or laser attach, precision ball and wedge bonding, and active optical align and attach.

Palomar's Process Development and Prototyping Services assists companies in developing or validating new products by providing design, engineering, prototyping, assembly and automation expertise, as well as metrology resources to bridge the gap between product concept and automated production. For more information, visit www.palomartechnologies.com or contact 760/931-3600.

For more information, contact the Palomar office in your area.