Toolex and Philips Join Forces in the Development of DVS+RW Disc Manufacturing Equipment.

Business Editors

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 2001

Toolex International N.V. (AEX: TLXI, Nasdaq: Txlaf), a world leader in disc production and process technologies, announces the development of manufacturing equipment for DVD+RW (rewritable) discs. Expertise of Philips Optical Disc Technology Centre (ODTC) will be used to optimize the integrated production system. The system will be available by mid 2001, in time for the worldwide introduction of DVD+RW video recorders.

Toolex has a strategic commitment to a broad rewritable disc technologies program and is ideally positioned to obtain a significant share of this rapidly expanding market of DVD Video recording. The delivery of the Toolex system by mid 2001 will enable in-line volume production of DVD+RW discs in time for the market take-off of DVD Video recorders.

"DVD+RW promises to be an attractive and successful product concept. We believe that there will be huge demand for DVD+RW discs," says Reinier ten Kate, General Manager Philips ODTC. "With Toolex's in-depth engineering and process know how we will have the knowledge and production systems in place to meet the growing demands from disc manufacturers to deliver DVD+RW discs for this rapidly expanding market."

The first DVD+RW Video recorders and PC data drives will be introduced at IFA2001 (one of the major consumer electronics shows in Europe). DVD+RW has been designed from the start to be two-way compatible with DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM drives. This means that not only will DVD+RW products play pre-recorded DVD-Video titles but also that discs recorded with DVD+RW recorders can be played in existing DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM drives, making it an attractive format for consumers and media producers alike.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and information relating to the future operations of Toolex International, that are based on the beliefs of Toolex management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Toolex. When used in this document, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate" and "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to Toolex International, or their respective management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of Toolex with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance and achievements that may be expresses or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, introduction of competing products by other companies, lack of acceptance of new products by Toolex' International's targeted customers, changes in business strategy and various other factors, both referenced and not referenced in this press release. Should one or more risks or uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.