Thermo Optek Receives Order for MBE Systems Valued at Approximately $4 Million
FRANKLIN, Mass. Thermo Optek Corporation (Amex: TOC), a Thermo Electron company (NYSE: TMO), today announced that its VG Semicon subsidiary has received an order valued at approximately $4 million for its V100 molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) systems from RF Micro Devices (RFMD) of Greensboro, North Carolina. Scheduled to be shipped in mid-2000, these systems will increase RFMD s capacity to produce gallium arsenide epitaxial wafers, which are used to manufacture critical components for high-speed wireless communications products such as cellular telephones and satellite television systems.
"Our MBE technology continues to deliver - for us and our customers," said Barry S. Howe, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Optek. "This order further solidifies our lead in this specialized production market. It also strengthens our long-standing relationship with RFMD, as they expand to keep pace with the rising demand for MBE-grown semiconductors."
VG Semicon is the leading global supplier of MBE production equipment. MBE is a core technology of Thermo Optek s materials science division, which develops instruments and systems for advanced-materials analysis, characterization, and production for a variety of applications.
Thermo Optek Corporation is a worldwide leader in analytical instruments that use a range of optical spectroscopy and energy-based techniques, and systems for materials analysis, characterization, and preparation. These instruments are used in the elemental and molecular analysis of a wide variety of solids, liquids, and gases, as well as in testing and fabricating advanced materials. Thermo Optek is a public subsidiary of Thermo Instrument Systems Inc., another Thermo Electron company. More information is available on the Internet at http://www.thermo.com/subsid/toc1.html.
The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward- looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth under the heading "Forward-looking Statements" in Exhibit 13 to the company s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 1999. These include risks and uncertainties relating to: technological change, obsolescence, and the development and acceptance of new products; the company s acquisition strategy; significant international operations; competition; the protection, defense, and use of intellectual property; dependence on the semiconductor industry and industry volatility; and the potential impact of year 2000 on processing date-sensitive information.
SOURCE Thermo Electron Corporation
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Thermo Electron
Investor: 781-622-1111 Media: 781-622-1252 Web site: http://www.thermo.com/subsid/toc1.html/
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/877850.html
Fax: 800-758-5804, ext. 877850
Web site: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/877850.html
