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To: Paul Dieterich who wrote (355)	1/26/1998 11:47:00 AM
From: TI2, TechInvestorToo	Respond to of 582

Dupont Photomask, Korea comments that .25 micron reticle demand is strong and adds capacity: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Monday January 26, 8:07 am Eastern Time Company Press Release DuPont Photomasks Installs First Merchant MEBES-R- 4500S at Ichon, Korea, Facility ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 26, 1998--DuPont Photomasks, Inc. (NASDAQ: DPMI - news), more commonly referred to as DPI, announced today that it has completed installation of a new photomask manufacturing line at its Ichon, Korea, production facility anchored by a MEBES(R) 4500S electron beam pattern generator. The new line represents a total capital investment of nearly $15 million. The MEBES 4500S is currently the most advanced commercially available e-beam writing tool in the world. DPI is the first merchant photomask manufacturer in the world to install the new tool from Etec Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ETEC - news). DPI will use the new system to produce the most critical layers of photomasks for leading-edge semiconductors employing design rules at or below 0.25 micron. ''Despite the recent economic difficulties in the Asia/Pacific region, demand for advanced photomasks to produce leading-edge semiconductors remains strong,'' said Chulwoo Won, DPI's executive vice president of Asia/Pacific operations. ''DPI is making the necessary capital investments to ensure that we will be able to continue to address the needs of our customers across the Asian market.'' The MEBES 4500S improves the accuracy and throughput of Etec's proven MEBES 4500 e-beam pattern generator. The new system's advanced features include special support for the production of photomasks with Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) and phase shift features. OPC and phase shift techniques are used to provide the required depth of focus and critical dimension control necessary to fabricate semiconductor devices with deep sub-micron feature sizes. The Semiconductor Industry Association's recently revised technology roadmap confirms the relentless drive by semiconductor producers to miniaturize features at a faster rate than previously believed possible. According to the roadmap, production of 64-Mbit DRAMs is anticipated to ramp this year while 256-Mbit DRAMs will begin sampling. Advanced photomasks manufactured by DPI, including those utilizing OPC and phase shift techniques, are helping to enable semiconductor producers achieve those milestones. ''This investment is another example of DPI's commitment to deliver to our customers the high-quality, leading-edge photomasks they've come to expect,'' said J. Michael Hardinger, chairman and chief executive officer of DuPont Photomasks. ''DPI continues to strengthen its leadership position in Asia. This new line complements our previously installed base of leading-edge equipment in Ichon, our joint venture manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China, and our recently announced joint venture manufacturing facility in Taiwan with United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC).'' ''Etec is very pleased that DPI is the first merchant manufacturer in the world to install our state-of-the-art MEBES 4500S e-beam pattern generator,'' said Steve Cooper, Etec Systems' chairman, president and CEO. ''DPI is a global leader in producing photomasks supporting design rules at or below 0.25 micron and this new advanced writing tool offers them the ability to better meet the requirements of their customers by improving photomask yields and reducing cycle-times. We are proud to collaborate with DPI on this event as it further strengthens our long standing strategic relationship with them.'' DuPont Photomasks, Inc. (DPI) DuPont Photomasks, Inc., is the world's largest manufacturer of photomasks, operating globally from nine strategically located facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. The company produces and supplies photomasks as well as photoblanks (photomask substrates) and pellicles (protective covers for photomasks). DPI is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, and had worldwide sales in fiscal 1997 of over $260 million. DPI maintains a Web site at photomask.com. Note: This release includes forward-looking statements based on management's current plans and expectations. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties which cannot be predicted or quantified, including potential risks associated with sufficient regional demand for the company's products and currency fluctuations, and which may cause future activities and results of operations to differ from those suggested. For additional information, please refer to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact: DPI Investor Relations Diane Schedler, 512/310-6559 or Edelman Worldwide John Satterfield or Paula Holland, 650/968-4033