PRI Automation Releases Encore! Composer 3.1 Software, For Increasing Productivity Of 300mm Wafer Semiconductor Fabs
Specification Management Software offers enhanced functionality and full integration with PRI's P300 and PROMIS v5.6 software
BILLERICA, Mass., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- PRI Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRIA, TSE: PRJ), a global leader in advanced automation systems, software and services for the semiconductor and precision electronics industries, today announced the release of Encore!® Composer(TM) 3.1. Encore! Composer is a powerful specification management software that simplifies the process of creating and editing process and factory specifications. An easy-to-use application with an intuitive graphical user interface, Encore! Composer allows users to enter manufacturing specifications directly into PROMIS(TM), PRI's award-winning Manufacturing Execution System (MES), thereby enabling semiconductor manufacturers to get products manufactured and to market faster.
Both PROMIS and Encore! Composer represent key components of PRI's P300(TM) integrated software solution for 300mm and 200mm wafer semiconductor fabs. According to Tom Mariano, vice president of Factory Management Software for PRI, integrated software is an absolute requirement in complex 300mm wafer fabs, where manufacturing is completely automated from beginning to end -- and this new version of Encore! Composer provides even tighter integration among P300 components.
``PRI's pre-integrated software solution reduces integration risk for our customers and enables them to get their fabs up and running more quickly,'' noted Mariano. ``In addition, customers report that they like the 'one-stop shopping' aspect of being able to outsource all of their automation needs, including software, to PRI.'' PRI pioneered flexible factory automation systems for the semiconductor industry, and remains the only vendor able to provide integrated hardware, software and service solutions for semiconductor manufacturers.
Encore! Composer 3.1, available immediately, builds upon its flexibility and configurability as a full-featured, object-oriented specification management application. Its highly graphical user interface greatly simplifies creating, editing, viewing and querying factory specifications of the various components in a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) environment. As with all Encore! products, Composer is Windows(TM) based and automatically handles persistency, version control, access control, extensibility and document management system (DMS) integration.
About PRI Automation
PRI Automation, Inc., headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, is a leading global supplier of advanced factory automation systems, software, and services that optimize the productivity of semiconductor and precision electronics manufacturers as well as OEM process tool manufacturers. PRI is the only company to provide a tightly integrated and flexible hardware and software solution that optimizes the flow of products, data, materials and resources throughout the production chain. The company has thousands of systems installed at approximately one hundred locations throughout the world. For more information, visit PRI online at www.pria.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release includes forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to the expected benefits of PRI Automation products. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the manner in which the customer uses the products and integrates them with third-party components and the following additional factors: the downturn in the semiconductor capital equipment industry is harming our business; fluctuating demand for our products makes it difficult to manage our business efficiently; we have reduced our workforce in response to the industry downturn and reduced demand for our products and our smaller workforce may be inadequate to handle increased demand for our products; we may continue to experience delays and technical difficulties with new product introductions such as our TurboStocker product; 300mm technology, in which we have invested heavily, is being adopted more slowly than we expected and competition for early 300mm orders is intense; our lengthy sales cycle makes it difficult to anticipate sales; our operating results fluctuate significantly in response to a variety of factors; delay in our shipment of a single significant order could substantially decrease our sales for a period; the application of new accounting guidance under SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin number 101 will result in delayed recognition of revenues from our factory automation systems; we typically charge a fixed price for our factory automation systems and therefore, we are vulnerable to cost overruns; we have a limited number of customers, we do not have long-term purchase agreements with our customers, and the loss, cancellation or delay of an order by any of these customers could harm our business; we must continually improve our technology and develop new products to remain competitive; demand for less expensive semiconductor is increasing pressure to reduce our prices; industry consolidation and outsourcing could reduce the number of available customers; our operations outside North America expose us to special risks of doing business internationally; our investments in the Asia-Pacific market may not be successful; we face significant competition from other automation companies; future acquisitions may disrupt our operations; we are increasingly dependent on subcontractors and one or a few suppliers of certain components, subassemblies and manufacturing processes; the failure of our key suppliers to deliver components on time could harm our business; we depend on our executive officers and other key personnel; our software products may contain defects that could result in claims and harm our business; we may be unable to protect our proprietary technology; others might claim that we infringe their technology; rising energy costs may increase our operating expenses; we are subject to pending class action securities litigation that could be costly to defend, divert the attention of our management and, if determined adversely to us, seriously harm our business; and other factors identified in our registration statement on Form S-3, file number 333-60180, filed with the SEC on May 3, 2001. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements included in this release.
PROMIS and Encore! are registered trademarks and Encore! Composer is a trademark of PRI Automation, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. |
