FormFactor Expands Relationship with Tera Probe to Achieve Greater Reductions in Cost of Test
September 10, 2007
September 10, 2007
Tera Probe agreement is part of FormFactor’s new inPartnerTM program designed to achieve year-over-year test cost savings
LIVERMORE, Calif. – September 10, 2007 – FormFactor, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORM) today announced that Tera Probe Inc., a leading test service provider, has entered into a strategic relationship with FormFactor. The agreement is designed to help Tera Probe consistently achieve greater reductions in total overall cost of test by sharing design information earlier in the development process to ensure FormFactor’s advanced wafer test solutions deliver maximum return on investment (ROI). The two companies plan to focus their efforts in several product areas, including DRAM, system-on-chip (SOC) and known good die (KGD) testing.
“This agreement with Tera Probe is a win-win for both our companies,” stated Igor Khandros, chief executive officer of FormFactor. “In addition to driving greater test cost of ownership benefits in the DRAM market, our expanded relationship will help us deliver a compelling test solution to the SOC market. Rising SOC demand, driven by mobile consumer and automotive electronic applications, requires advanced micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS)-based wafer test solutions to provide higher levels of test parallelism to lower test costs, and that are highly scalable to address the test needs of future product generations.”
As part of this agreement, FormFactor will provide Tera Probe with early access to its next- generation wafer probe card solutions. The expanded relationship with Tera Probe is part of FormFactor’s new inPartnerTM program—an initiative to develop long-term strategic customer relationships and align roadmaps, as well as look beyond the test cell for opportunities to help reduce customers’ test costs annually.
“Test is playing an increasingly strategic role in ensuring the highest yield and quality for advanced ICs. Longer test times, smaller devices and new device functions create challenging test cost models,” stated Masahide Ozawa, chief technology officer at Tera Probe. “By entering this next phase of our relationship with FormFactor, we now have the opportunity to engage with them on a new level that will enable us to achieve significant long-term reductions in our customers’ cost of test, as well as provide more comprehensive test solutions to meet our customers’ stringent manufacturing requirements.”
inPartner: a new customer engagement model
Participants in the inPartner program collaborate with FormFactor to create a customized, integrated test solution roadmap that tackles a range of opportunities to reduce test costs and increase ROI. These opportunities can include—but are not limited to—higher-speed sort testing, increased uptime, improved lead time and delivery, accelerated yield learning and increased yield, in addition to traditional cost reduction efforts such as higher parallelism.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding business momentum, demand for our products and solutions and future growth. These forward- looking statements are based on current information and expectations that are inherently subject to change and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results might differ materially from those in any forward-looking statement due to various factors, including, but not limited to: the demand for certain semiconductor devices; the company’s ability to successfully implement its inPartner program and develop and deliver solutions to provide higher-speed sort testing, increased uptime, improved lead time and delivery, accelerated yield learning and increased yield and increased parallelism; the company’s ability to develop customized solutions that meet its customers’ ever-evolving test requirements, including for SOC devices and KGD testing; the company’s continuing ability to innovate and develop and deliver the next generation of testing technology to help enable semiconductor manufacturers to lower their test costs; and the company’s ability to engage successfully with packaging and wafer test service providers. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially and adversely from those in any forward- looking statement is contained in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended December 30, 2006 and subsequent Form 10-Q and 8-K filings. Copies of the company’s SEC filings are available at http://investors.formfactor.com/edgar.cfm. The company assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release, to revise any forward-looking statements or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in forward-looking statements.