Tower Achieves ISO Certification - Extends Quality Assurance to Automotive Industry
Contacts: Tower Semiconductor USA Michael Axelrod, 408-330-6871 pr@towersemi.com Pacifico Inc. Mary Curtis, 408-293-8600 mcurtis@pacifico.com Tower Semiconductor Achieves ISO/TS 16949 Certification for Quality Management System Foundry Extends Its Quality Assurance to the Automotive Industry Migdal Haemek, Israel November 30, 2005 Tower Semiconductor, Ltd., a pure-play independent specialty wafer foundry , today announced it has achieved ISO/TS 16949 certification from the highly respected UK-based NQA (National Quality Association). This quality management system standard certification covers all of Towerıs departments and activities. The certification is further evidence of the companyıs commitment to tight control of its manufacturing processes, work procedures, and product performance, including adherence to the demanding requirements of the automotive industry. ISO/TS 16949 is currently the industry's most stringent quality management system standard for the automotive industry. The Standard Institute of Israel (SII) thoroughly audited Tower's quality systems and programs for the certification. ³The results of our certification audit place Tower among the top Israeli organizations that were audited and certified for ISO/TS 16949,² said Ziva Patir, general manager of SII. "Our ISO/TS 16949 certification is testimony to Towerıs commitment to maintaining and continuously improving quality and performance standards that benefit all of our partners and customers," said Erez Taoz, senior vice president, Operations of Tower Semiconductor. "Achieving it is an important milestone in our strategic roadmap as we grow our offering within the specialty fields of automotive mixed signal, image sensors and NVM content of microcontrollers." About ISO/TS 16949 The ISO/TS 16949 standard is a technical specification defining quality system requirements for the design and development, production, installation and servicing of automotive-related products. The standard encourages the use of a process approach that is aimed at improving process efficiency and is designed to achieve the highest levels of product quality, productivity, competitiveness, and continual improvement. ISO/TS 16949 was jointly developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) members and approved by the International Organization for Standardization. IATF members include leading automotive manufacturers and their trade associations. This standard, together with any customer-specific requirements, defines the quality system requirements used in the automotive supply chain. ISO/TS 16949 is based on ISO 9001:2000, but it includes a number of additional specific quality requirements. About Tower Semiconductor Ltd. Tower Semiconductor Ltd. is a pure-play independent specialty foundry established in 1993. The company manufactures integrated circuits with geometries ranging from 1.0 to 0.13 micron; it also provides complementary technical services and design support. In addition to digital CMOS process technology, Tower offers advanced non-volatile memory solutions, mixed-signal, RF-CMOS and CMOS image-sensor technologies. To provide world-class customer service, the company maintains two manufacturing facilities: Fab 1 has process technologies from 1.0 to 0.35-micron and can produce up to 16,000 150mm wafers per month. Fab 2 features 0.18-micron and below standard and specialized process technologies, and has the current capacity of up to 15,000 200mm wafers per month. Tower's Web site is located at www.towersemi.com. Safe Harbor This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. A complete discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements included in this press release or which may otherwise affect our business is included under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Form 6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Israel Securities Authority.