Kulicke & Soffa Launches Next Generation Automatic

Engineered for higher productivity, the Maxum ultra is capable of processing today’s most complex packaging applications. Incorporating numerous technology advancements, this high-performance wire bonder processes devices 10% faster than its predecessor – the industry-leading MaxumplusÔ. The other wire bonder being launched is the Maxum elite. This machine is designed to address the demands of cost-performance applications.

"We have used our advanced technology and field experience from the Maxum Series platform to take wire bonding to the next level with both the Maxum ultra and Maxum elite. Both new wire bonders deliver higher speeds, improved material handling capability and superior accuracy," states Christian Rheault, K&S Vice President, IC Ball Bonders. "In an effort to further optimize the cost-of-ownership advantages of our equipment, the new Maxum ultra and Maxum elite are a perfect fit for the high-performance and the cost-performance market segments."

Jack Belani, Senior Vice President of K&S’ Wire Bonding Division and Corporate Marketing, notes, "Our customers around the globe are coming to us with packaging challenges, ranging from complex stacked-die applications to high-density, matrix lead frame devices. With these two new IC ball bonders, we are confident that our customers will see a real performance advantage over other wire bonding technologies."

After debuting at Semicon China, both the Maxum ultra and Maxum elite will be available for full production in the 3rd Calendar Quarter of 2005. For more information on the new K&S Maxum ultra and the Maxum elite, link to our web site at:
http://www.kns.com/Templates/showpage.asp?TMID=164&FID=277&PID=3229


About K&S
Kulicke & Soffa (NASDAQ: KLIC) is the world's leading supplier of semiconductor wire bonding assembly equipment. K&S is the only major supplier to the semiconductor assembly industry that provides customers with semiconductor wire bonding equipment along with the complementing packaging materials and test interconnect products that actually contact the surface of the customer's semiconductor devices. The ability to control all of these assembly related products is unique to Kulicke & Soffa, and allows us to develop system solutions to the new technology challenges inherent in assembling and packaging next-generation semiconductor devices. Test interconnect products include a variety of wafer probe cards, ATE interface assemblies, and ATE boards for wafer testing, as well as test sockets for all types of packaged semiconductor devices. Kulicke & Soffa's web site address is http://www.kns.com.