NEWS FOR RELEASE: 6/16/00
Contacts: Darlene Perry David Bondurant
Pacifico, Inc. Enhanced Memory
(408) 293-8600 (719) 481-7003
RAMTRON SUBSIDIARY ENHANCED MEMORY SYSTEMS
ENTERS MANUFACTURING AGREEMENT
WITH A MAJOR COMPUTER MANUFACTURER
Low-Latency, High-Bandwidth Memory Targets Computer Applications
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, June 16, 2000 - U.S. semiconductor maker Ramtron
International Corporation (Nasdaq: RMTR) and its subsidiary, Enhanced Memory
Systems, Inc., announced today that they have entered into a manufacturing
agreement with a major computer manufacturer to develop and supply a high-
performance semiconductor memory product for the computer market. The multi-
million dollar agreement provides for development of the product with both
captive and open market supply planned. Product consumption is projected to
exceed $40M over the next four years with initial product supply beginning in
2001. The product will be manufactured using the Infineon Technologies 0.17
micron memory technology.
"We are excited about the benefits of low-latency, high-bandwidth memory in our
computer products," said an unnamed source within the computer company. "The
product under development with Enhanced Memory Systems will increase the
performance of a number of our computer platforms."
"We believe this product will be an industry-leading low-latency, high-
bandwidth memory for the computer market," said Craig Rhodine, Enhanced Memory
Systems vice president and general manager. "This customer funded program
signifies the coming of age for a technology we have pioneered since 1992."
High-Performance DRAM Products
Enhanced Memory Systems is a leading specialty DRAM company. Enhanced Memory
Systems began shipping its first low-latency enhanced DRAM (EDRAM (registered
trademark)) products in 1992. Enhanced Memory Systems currently supplies low-
latency enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM) and high-speed SDRAM (HSDRAM)
products that are compatible with the industry standard SDRAM. The ESDRAM
architecture was approved as a SDRAM superset for both SDRAM and DDR SDRAM in
1998. In 1999, Enhanced Memory Systems entered a technology agreement with
Cypress Semiconductor to develop a product for the network communications
market. In May of this year, Enhanced's parent company, Ramtron, acquired
Mushkin Inc. to provide expanded e-commerce outlets for the Enhanced Memory
Systems product lines.
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Enhanced Memory Systems is a fabless DRAM company with manufacturing agreements
with top semiconductor companies, including Infineon Technologies, who recently
purchased 20% of Enhanced Memory Systems in exchange for its advanced memory
technology and wafer capacity. Enhanced Memory Systems is pursuing other
strategic partnerships to advance its EDRAM, ESDRAM, HSDRAM, and ESRAM
technologies in the marketplace.
The Enhanced Memory Systems products serve the DRAM, specialty DRAM and fast
SRAM markets, which are expected to grow to more than $47 billion by the year
2001, according to Semico, a leading semiconductor market research firm.
About Ramtron International Corporation
Ramtron's patented FRAM memories are a new generation of semiconductor memory
that combines high-performance and low-power operation with the ability to
store data in the absence of power. Due to the product's unique advantages,
FRAM memories are expected to revolutionize a variety of electronic consumer
and industrial products. Current applications for Ramtron's FRAM memory devices
include electronic power meters, smart cards, test instrumentation, factory
automation, laser printers, security systems, and other systems that require
reliable storage of data without an external power source. The company also
develops and markets ultra-high-performance ESDRAM and HSDRAM memory products
through its subsidiary, Enhanced Memory Systems, Inc.
For more information about Ramtron and its products, contact: Communications
Department, Ramtron International Corporation, 1850 Ramtron Drive, Colorado
Springs, Colorado, USA, 80921. Telephone is 800-545-FRAM (3726); FAX is 719-
481-9294; E-mail address is [email protected]. Homepage is
http://www.ramtron.com.
About Enhanced Memory Systems, Inc.
Enhanced Memory Systems develops and markets patented EDRAM (registered
trademark) and ESRAM (trademark) high-performance specialty memories that
combine fast DRAM and SRAM on one chip. Enhanced Memory Systems is
headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado and is a subsidiary of Ramtron
International Corporation (Nasdaq: RMTR). Visit Enhanced Memory Systems on the
Web at www.edram.com.
EDRAM is a registered trademark of Enhanced Memory Systems, Inc. ESRAM is a
trademark of Enhanced Memory Systems, Inc.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Except for historical
information, the matters discussed in this report are forward-looking
statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause
the actual results to differ materially from those projected. Words such as
"expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "projects",
"projected orders" and variations of such words are intended to represent
forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
release the results of any revisions or updates to these forward-looking
statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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