RosettaNet Press Release
Leading Semiconductor Manufacturers Speed Adoption of RosettaNet E-Business Standards

Global SM Supply Chain Board Companies Surpass Production Implementation Targets for Work-In-Process PIP

For Release July 11, 2001

Santa Ana, CA --

RosettaNet, the high technology industry's leading e-business process consortium, today announced that its Semiconductor Manufacturing (SM) Board has attained the first goal in a series of manufacturing milestone programs.   This achievement represents rapid adoption of RosettaNet standards in the industry, and further underscores the tremendous impact of RosettaNet's 2001 initiatives and the value being created across the supply chain.

Earlier this year, nine members of RosettaNet's global SM Supply Chain Board committed to production implementation of Manufacturing Work-In-Process (WIP) PIPs(TM)  with at least one partner by Q3 2001.   This goal of getting nine companies into production by 7.7.01 was both met and surpassed, with a total of ten companies reaching the target implementation date.

"RosettaNet's true measure of success is based on real world implementations in a production environment," said Dr. Quincy Lin, senior vice president and CIO at TSMC and vice chairman of the Semiconductor Manufacturing Board.   "In March 2001, more than half of the SM Board's founding members committed to the aggressive implementation target date of 7.7.01.   This remarkable milestone achievement was accomplished at Internet speed and will undoubtedly yield both short-and long-term benefits for RosettaNet Partners and the industry at large."  

SM supply chain companies that achieved the WIP milestone include Agere Systems (Lucent Technologies), Amkor Technology, ASE, Chartered Semiconductor, Motorola, National Semiconductor, SPIL, TSMC, UMC and Winbond Electronics.  RosettaNet solution providers that partnered with these global supply chain companies to collaborate on implementation include BEA Systems, Peregrine/Extricity, TIBCO Software and webMethods.

Historically, foundry/test/assembly semiconductor manufacturers have exchanged WIP data electronically with their customers using a variety of different message formats and process flows.   This lack in standardization has significantly reduced a company's potential to realize efficiencies that are now being captured through WIP implementation.

RosettaNet PIP 3D8: Distribute Work-in-Process supports the process used by a wafer manufacturer or assembler to inform a trading partner of product configuration status.   Typically, WIP is executed for assembly, fabrication and test product configuration status and contains product manufacturing status from the wafer start through the final test stages, thus representing the inventory status, and data sharing of the entire supply chain.

Tangible benefits of standardized a utomation of WIP inquiries and responses on the manufacturing factory floor include enabling greater WIP visibility - thereby reducing inventories and allowing for enhanced flexibility from an operational perspective.

Other RosettaNet-sponsored industry initiatives are also helping to shape e-business in the semiconductor manufacturing sector.    Formed in September 1999, the eFAB(TM)  Alliance set out to create a model for electronic commerce within the semiconductor foundry industry. The eFAB Alliance, including founding members Agilent Technologies, Chartered Semiconductor, Lucent Technologies and Motorola, selected RosettaNet in May 2000 to architect the first open industry standard for secure electronic communications between foundries and their customers, suppliers and marketing partners.   As a part of the eFAB initiative, preliminary guidelines for WIP were turned over to RosettaNet for development and proliferation throughout the industry.   By way of this designation, RosettaNet is positioned as the semiconductor industry's broadest sphere of influence in the creation of   e-commerce and e-communications standards, spanning semiconductor manufacturing through product distribution.    

RosettaNet's SM Managing Board, comprised of companies involved in wafer fabrication, fabless design, assembly, integrated device manufacturing and materials, has added a number of industry leaders to the roster since its formation in October 2000.   Newly represented supply chain companies include Tokyo Electron (TEL), Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK), LSI Logic and Toshiba, while industry associations such as SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International) and the Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA) have also signed on.   In conjunction with the launch of RosettaNet's Solution Provider (SP) Board in June 2001, three companies have been appointed to act in an advisory role to the SM Board: Peregrine/Extricity, Syntricity and webMethods.

"The astounding growth of RosettaNet's SM Board, from 19 to 30 member companies in just six months, represents a sense of urgency in the industry," remarked Tim Lavelle, RosettaNet executive director, Semiconductor Manufacturing Board.    "We anticipate a continued interest and heightened enthusiasm by leaders in the industry and look forward to driving toward additional implementations in the later part of 2001 and into 2002."

Through implementation of the WIP PIP 3D8, a company will have the ability to leverage its existing infrastructure/resources (ERP systems, solutions providers, networks, etc.) to quickly engage in related RosettaNet standards and program initiatives, such as order management, collaborative forecasting and shipping/logistics.

Semiconductor manufacturers, foundries and service providers are collaborating to address the unique order-management needs of the SM trading network, expecting to reduce IT and order transaction costs and improve customer service. At least 10 members of RosettaNet's global SM Supply Chain Board have committed to production implementation of order management PIPs by Q4 2001.   Current participants include Agilent Technologies, ASE, Intel, Micron, NEC, SPIL, Texas Instruments, TSMC and UMC.

RosettaNet SM materials companies are reviewing PIPs to address unique process manufacturing and raw materials requirements, looking to reduce IT and ordering costs and improve customer service. Currently focused on order management, participants have committed to production implementation of one or more RosettaNet order PIPs, with at least one partner, by Q4 2001.   To date, participants include JSR, Shin-Etsu Handotai, Shinko, Sumitomo Bakelite, Sumitomo Metal Industries SITIX, TOK and Toppan, and their customers, such as Amkor Technology, Intel, NEC and Toshiba .

For more information on RosettaNet's Semiconductor Manufacturing Board, please contact Tim Lavelle, executive director, at 408.283.0978 (tim.lavelle@rosettanet.org). For general membership information, or to participate in RosettaNet's 2001 programs, please visit www.rosettanet.org.

About RosettaNet

RosettaNet is an independent, non-profit consortium dedicated to the collaborative development and rapid deployment of open Internet-based business standards that align processes within the global high-technology trading network.

More than 400 companies representing over $1 trillion in annual information technology, electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing revenues currently participate in RosettaNet's standards development, strategy and implementation activities. A complete list of member companies and more information on RosettaNet is available at www.rosettanet.org.