Sheldahl Announces Production Scale-Up of ViaThin Substrates
27 June 2000
Sheldahl Announces Production Scale-Up of ViaThin Substrates in Support Of Major Semiconductor Company
NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Sheldahl, Inc. announced today that it received
production purchase orders from a major DSP and ASIC Semiconductor company for
significant volume of the Company's Micro Products' ViaThin(TM) tape ball grid
array (TBGA) substrates over the next twelve months. The initial order
requires more than 300,000 parts per month and near term forecasts of more
than 500,000 parts per month. These substrates will be used in packaging
high-performance application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) silicon
technology. The package embodiment will be TBGA assembled by Sheldahl on heat
spreaders, initially for ASIC designs in the 352 to 600 lead-count range.
The latest silicon technology provides customers with the ability to
support increased levels of functionality with extremely small, cost-effective
die sizes. Sheldahl's two-metal layer ViaThin TBGA package configuration
supports die sizes up to 50 percent smaller than competing enhanced BGA (EBGA)
packages, allowing very tight staggered wire-bonding pitch to accommodate
ever-shrinking die geometries. Additionally, the package supports
high-frequency electrical requirements and high thermal dissipation levels.
This enables Semiconductor Companies to provide their customers with a
high-performance solution at a very competitive overall component cost.
Jim Havener, Sheldahl Micro Products' Vice President remarked, "The major
investment in a state-of-the-art, high volume factory for two metal layer tape
substrates, coupled with our state-of-the-art technology, makes it possible
for Sheldahl to supply this backlog of more than $5 million over the next few
months. We are excited to have the opportunity to meet this ASIC Supplier's
need for a major production scale-up to over 500,000 parts per month. This
also demonstrates the value of ViaThin TBGA's for packaging high performance
ASIC and DSP Semiconductors. Our in-place capacity allows us to meet this
demand without disturbing our commitments to meet other customer's
requirements."
Sheldahl is a leading producer of high-density substrates, high-quality
flexible printed circuitry, and flexible laminates primarily for sale to the
automotive, electronics and data communications markets. The Company, which
is headquartered in Northfield, Minn., has operations in Northfield; Longmont,
Colo.; South Dakota; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico.
Its sales offices are located in Detroit, Mich.; Hong Kong, China; Singapore;
and Mainz, Germany. As of June 1, 2000, Sheldahl employed approximately 820
people. Sheldahl's common stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market tier of
the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol: SHEL. In its fiscal year ended
August 27, 1999, Sheldahl reported revenues of $122.1 million. Sheldahl news
and information can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sheldahl.com
The discussion above contains statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements by their nature
involve substantial risks and uncertainties as described by Sheldahl's
periodic filings. Actual results may differ materially depending on a variety
of factors, including but not limited to the following: the achievement of
Sheldahl's projected operating results, the ability of Sheldahl to
successfully obtain waivers from its lenders for any defaults on its debt
covenants, the achievement of efficient volume production and related sales
revenue results at Longmont, the ability of Sheldahl to identify and
successfully pursue other business opportunities, and Sheldahl not entering
into an agreement with respect to a transaction or any such transaction not
being consummated. Additional information with respect to the risks and
uncertainties faced by Sheldahl may be found in, and the prior discussion is
qualified in its entirety by, the Risk Factors contained in the Company's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Sheldahl's
Annual Report, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 27, 1999, Forms 10-Q
for the quarters ended November 26, 1999; February 25, 2000, and other SEC
filings. Sheldahl does not undertake any obligation to update any such
factors or to publicly announce developments or events relating to the matters
described herein.