X-FAB UK Ltd. Attains ISO TS 16949 Certification

    ERFURT, Germany & PLYMOUTH, United Kingdom--June 3, 2003--X-FAB UK Ltd., one of 3 manufacturing sites of X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG, the mixed-signal foundry leader, announced that it is among the very first foundries to be awarded certification according to ISO TS 16949, the new quality standard in the automotive industry. As a result, X-FAB UK Ltd. is operated with one of the most stringent quality standards worldwide.
    The quality standard ISO TS 16949 standardizes automotive industry requirements for both Europe and the USA and it is expected that the technical specification (TS) will become the common and unique basis for the automotive industry's quality management system requirements worldwide, gradually replacing the multiple national specifications now used by the automotive sector. And, with the involvement of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), for the first time Japan has also recognized this quality management system. In light of X-FAB's goal to develop a greater Japanese market presence, this successful certification is likely to prove significant.
    ISO TS 16949 takes customer-specific demands into account in an unparalleled manner. A high value is placed on continual improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in all areas.
    "At X-FAB, our central focus is the quality of our products and services," said Volker Winkler, Quality Assurance Director of X-FAB Group. "This ISO certification of X-FAB UK, which guarantees an internationally standardized, customer-oriented quality management system, is one of many commitments that will give our customers an even stronger sense of assurance in their choice of X-FAB as their foundry partner."
    For the next few months, ISO TS 16949 certifications are likewise planned for X-FAB's manufacturing sites in Germany and the US.

    About X-FAB

    X-FAB is an independently-owned, mixed-signal foundry with headquarters in Erfurt, Germany. The company has three manufacturing sites: X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG (Erfurt, Germany), X-FAB UK Ltd. (Plymouth, United Kingdom) and X-FAB Texas Inc. (Lubbock, Texas), with a combined capacity of more than 8,000 8-inch equivalent wafer starts per week. Worldwide, X-FAB has more than 900 employees. Further information is available at http://www.xfab.com.