> SANDISK AND TOSHIBA BEGIN PRODUCTION AT THE
> FLASHVISION FLASH FAB IN VIRGINIA
> 512 Megabit NAND Flash Is First Product
> MANASSAS, VA, June 6, 2001 -SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) and
> Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) announced today that
> their new FlashVision fabrication (fab) plant has gone into production of
> advanced flash memories, and shipments of the product have started.
> FlashVision LLC, a new semiconductor company started by Toshiba and
> SanDisk, is utilizing fabrication space at Dominion Semiconductor, a
> company owned by Toshiba, in Manassas, VA. The announcement was made today
> at a press conference at the plant.
>
> The NAND memory wafers being produced by FlashVision will primarily
> be used to manufacture flash memory storage cards for use in digital
> cameras, digital Internet music players and future generations of cell
> phones. A key enabling technology at the heart of a variety of existing
> and emerging consumer devices, NAND flash has become the removable storage
> medium of choice for cost-sensitive portable applications.
>
> Rich Wawrzyniak, director of non volatile memory for Semico Research
> Corp., said, "Although overall demand for flash has been reduced in the
> first quarter of 2001, there is still good growth and a high degree of
> interest at the higher densities of NAND flash today. The FlashVision fab
> of SanDisk and Toshiba is coming on-line at just the right time to capture
> a significant share of this demand for higher-density NAND products."
>
> Toru Watanabe, CEO of Dominion Semiconductor, said, "Today marks
> another milestone for the semiconductor industry and the economy of
> Northern Virginia. This is an especially exciting venture for SanDisk and
> Toshiba because the flash memory wafers will be going into consumer
> electronics markets including digital cameras, handheld computers and
> other mobile devices. Sales of these products are projected to grow
> dramatically in the future."
>
> Eli Harari, CEO and president of SanDisk, noted, "The fact that the
> FlashVision fab is up and running only a year after Toshiba and SanDisk
> signed the agreement creating the FlashVision company speaks volumes about
> the strong partnership and cooperation between the two companies and the
> high caliber of the dedicated and extremely talented team at FlashVision.
> We believe that the Dominion 512 Mbit NAND flash memory now starting
> production at Dominion is the most advanced flash in the industry, and
> will provide the customers of Toshiba and SanDisk a cost effective high
> volume manufacturing source once production volumes pick up over the next
> several quarters."
>
> Kevin Kilbuck, business development director for Static and Flash
> Memory Products for TAEC, said, "Toshiba's flash line-up is the perfect
> complement to SanDisk's controller and multi-level cell technology -
> giving customers the combined strengths of two industry leaders. Allowing
> Toshiba to further its aggressive growth in the flash market, the added
> capacity from the FlashVision fab will help us meet growing customer need
> for high-density, low-cost flash solutions. The timing of this production
> ramp is ideal for supporting the spike in demand we anticipate during this
> year's holiday buying season."
>
> Dominion, which thus far has hired about 300 workers for the
> FlashVision fab, expects to have about 600 personnel working at the plant
> when it ramps into high volume mass production next year.
>
> Under the strategic joint venture, Toshiba and SanDisk are spending
> approximately $700 million to equip the fab. The investment costs and
> ownership of FlashVision are being shared equally by both companies.
> Toshiba and SanDisk will each get 50 percent of Dominion's flash memory
> production and will separately market and sell their share of the output
> to their respective customers.
>
> Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) offers the
> industry's broadest line-up of semiconductor, display and storage
> solutions for the computing, wireless, networking and digital consumer
> markets. Combining quality and flexibility with design engineering
> expertise, TAEC brings advanced next-generation technologies to its OEM
> customers.
>
> TAEC is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America
> Inc., a subsidiary of the $54 billion (FY 1999 recorded sales) Toshiba
> Corp., the second largest semiconductor company worldwide in terms of
> global sales for the year 2000. Toshiba Corp. is a world leader in
> high-technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and
> affiliates worldwide. For additional company and product information,
> please visit TAEC's web site at chips.toshiba.com. For technical
> inquiries, please e-mail Tech.Questions@taec.toshiba.com.
>
> SanDisk Corporation, the world's largest supplier of flash data
> storage products, designs, manufactures and markets industry-standard,
> solid-state data, digital imaging and audio storage products using its
> patented, high density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is
> based in Sunnyvale, CA.
>
> The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking
> statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as
> described under the caption, "Factors That May Affect Future Result" in
> SanDisk's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q,
> filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The companies assume no
> obligation to update the information in this release.
>
> SanDisk's web site/home page address: sandisk.com
> All trade names are either registered trademarks or trademarks of their
> respective holders.
>
>
> Bob Goligoski
> Public Relations Director
> SanDisk Corp.
> 408-542-0463
> bgoligoski@sandisk.com
> |
