RosettaNet Press Release
FSA Joins RosettaNet

Supports Semiconductor Standard to Ensure Supply Chain Efficiency

For Release January 23, 2001

SAN JOSE -- The Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA), a leading industry organization representing the unique needs of the fabless/foundry business model, today announced it has become a member of RosettaNet, the e-business standards consortium, and will participate at the board level on the recently announced semiconductor standard initiative.

The FSA has long supported the creation of standards that provide meaningful improvements in efficiency and open the door to the industry's continued growth. The FSA's goal is to facilitate the optimization of the supply chain process and adoption of standards that ensure all trading partners are communicating in the same language. These standards must apply to the entire supply chain including planning and logistics; purchasing and payments; works in process status; cycle times; yields; engineering and new product introductions for wafer manufacturing, assembly and test.

"With the FSA's participation, RosettaNet is pursuing this standard to address the increasing complexity of the semiconductor supply chain. With the growth of the fabless business model, semiconductor companies face partnering with multiple partners and having multiple process flows. Consequently inefficiencies are growing in the supply chain," said Wayne Nesbit, FSA Board of Director and VP and Director, Worldwide External Technology Group at Motorola. "We applaud the FSA board of directors for its support of this initiative."

"The FSA has concluded that supporting the RosettaNet Semiconductor Manufacturing initiative is the most effective means of accomplishing our goal. The RosettaNet initiative covers a broad scope in e-business and the semiconductor segment can leverage the collaboration with other industry initiatives already underway. Our expectations are that RosettaNet will seek input and support from the entire semiconductor industry, including the fabless segment. "Nesbit said The FSA will work with RosettaNet in the same manner as other non-profit organizations by representing the interests of its members -- including the small- to medium-sized fabless companies -- and promoting participation in the RosettaNet initiative by all fabless companies and their supply chain partners. The FSA will also encourage larger fabless company members to participate on the RosettaNet Semiconductor Manufacturing Managing Board to ensure the interests of the outsourcing community receive immediate attention and action.

"The semiconductor industry can benefit tremendously from a united standard and the FSA will use its influence to demonstrate the value and accelerate the results of this initiative. We will keep members abreast of the adopted standards to date and how they might be applicable to their businesses. Ultimately, these standards will result in significant cost savings to companies and provide a lower barrier to entry. This, in turn, enables the fabless start up model that is responsible for so many of the industry's firsts," Jodi Shelton, FSA Executive Director.

About the Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA)
In 1994, the FSA was incorporated by industry leaders wishing to achieve a more optimal balance between wafer demand and capacity for fabless companies. The FSA has over 240 corporate members representing fabless companies, foundry providers, packaging and assembly houses, investment bankers, providers of intellectual property (IP) and a variety of other suppliers and partners.

The mission of the organization is to support the fabless model by encouraging the ongoing, symbiotic relationship between fabless semiconductor companies and suppliers; facilitate productive business partnerships; create awareness and promote the acceptance of the fabless business model; disseminate relevant data; and nurture the creation, adoption and implementation of standards and policies vital to the fabless model. To learn more about the FSA, please visit www.fsa.org.