News Archive

Together with representatives of 13 other members of the initiative "Going to Work Environmentally Friendly", Micronas Managing Director, Nikolaus Kaeppeler, received the ´Eco Traffic Award´ from the Mayor, Dr. Matthias Schmelas. Through this award the city of Freiburg acknowledges the commitment of the initiative to an environmentally friendly rushhour traffic, launched in 1991, by the works council of the semiconductor company.

In the light of continued positive market conditions and operating performance, Micronas announces today that it will proceed with an equity offering at the prevailing market price, which will be used to reduce acquisition related debt and increase financial flexibility. The offering comprises up to 5.35 million registered shares (including an over-allotment-option of up to 0.7 million registered shares).

At CeBIT 2002, Micronas unveils the world's smallest USB-headset connector, designed small enough to fit into the palm of a hand. Fitting into a USB connector, it integrates a complete audio system enabling system manufacturers to develop a huge variety of new digital headsets, and free users of the restrictions and inconvenient handling of conventional analog headsets.

At CeBIT 2002, Micronas unveils the company's first application board for the development of audio players with an interface to IBM's MicrodriveTM. The Micronas ColumbusDRIVE features a SDRAM buffer memory and memory management system that will extend playtime three to four times than that of battery operated audio players retrieving their data from spinning media, and completes Micronas' range of solutions supporting flash-based media such as SD cards and MMC.

Micronas today announces that it is considering an equity offering in the near future, subject to ongoing stable market conditions, in order to reduce indebtedness related to the acquisition of the Image and Video consumer electronics business acquired from Infineon Technologies AG in 2000. Micronas has available authorised capital of up to 5.35 million registered shares.

In the fourth quarter of 2001, the Micronas Group achieved a further improvement in consolidated net sales, which rose by 3.9 percent compared with the previous quarter. The 2001 business year as a whole saw sales increase by 15.6 percent over the previous year, reaching CHF 566.7 million. After adjustments for acquisitions and currency translation, this represents a fall of only 8.6 percent.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Micronas announced that it will be the world's first to integrate BBE Sound Inc.'s (BBE) High Definition Sound technology into the USB audio environment. The BBE sound processing algorithms will significantly enhance the listening experience of digital music in multimedia applications such as PCs and set-top boxes.

Micronas announced the launch of a video processor specifically designed for use in television sets with flat-panel displays (liquid crystal displays and plasma displays). The DPS 9450 supports display resolutions from VGA (640 x 480 pixel) to WXGA (1365 x 768 pixel). By offering display processors for both cathode ray tube displays (CRT) and flat-panel displays, Micronas completes the company's platform concept for TV applications.

Micronas today announced an extension of its audio chip family with the new SAC 3590A. Together with the universal processors of the Zenon™ product family and the audio processors of the MASF product family, the new SAC components form a consistent platform for the processing of digital music.

Today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN) and Thomson multimedia (Paris Euroclear 18453; NYSE: TMS) will hold the world's first public demonstration of the SmartRight™ copy protection and content management system, designed to protect video content on digital home networks.

Micronas announced today that the company will start volume production of its scan-rate converter chips VSP 94x7B in the second quarter of 2002. In addition to 100-Hz conversion, the VSP 94x7B chips support conversion in to progressive scan display formats as required for optimized image quality in NTSC TV-sets (NTSC is a broadcasting standard in the USA, Japan and Korea) and for new flat panel technologies such as LCDs and plasma displays.

The third quarter of 2001 brought the first signs of stabilization for the Micronas Group as sales increased by 7 percent compared with the second quarter, bucking the overall market trend. However, the tight squeeze on earnings continued, with capacity loading as low as 60 percent.

Micronas Halbleiterentwicklungs GmbH is the first research & development center for microelectronics that has moved into the Technology Park Villach-St. Magdalen in Austria.

Micronas, the Germany-based IC developer, today announced that it has chosen the world-leading semiconductor foundry, UMC (NYSE: UMC) for the production of its MDE 9500 IC, the industry's first hybrid analog/digital TV decoder. The MDE 9500 is the flagship of Micronas' mixed-signal decoder family and will use UMC's 0.18 micron technology to target the upcoming hybrid digital/analog TV market.

NetSilicon GmbH, the leading provider of integrated hardware and software for intelligent, networked devices, Micronas GmbH, a leading developer of microchips for the consumer electronics, multimedia and automotive industries, and Germany's FS Forth-Systeme GmbH, a designer and manufacturer of electronic devices, today announced their cooperation in developing a high performance MP3 Internet radio application, called NetworkAudio^TM.

Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN), and Thomson multimedia (Paris Euroclear: 18453; NYSE: TMS) today announced their collaboration in the future development of the SmartRightTM technology designed to protect digital content from illicit access and distribution.

Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN) announced today that it has secured Macrovision certification for its Video Pixel Decoder VPX 3226E. The Micronas chip incorporates a certified detection apparatus to detect and decode Macrovision protected analog video, allowing content owners to protect their videocassettes, digital Pay-Per-View programs and Digital Video Disks (DVD) from unauthorized recording.

Samsung Electronics, a major player in the global TV market, has formed a strategic alliance with Germany's Micronas GmbH, a world-class developer of essential semiconductor chips for consumer electronics, multimedia and automotive electronics. The partners will co-develop chip sets used in next-generation TVs.

Micronas has opened the way to cost-effective integrated digital television (IDTV) sets with its introduction of the first real single-chip digital TV decoder. The chip, called the MDE 9500, also meets the requirements of the multimedia home platform (MHP) standard. MDE 9500 is the product of a joint development effort with Zoran Corporation (NASDAQ:ZRAN) and incorporates intellectual property from Zoran and Micronas as well as new IP jointly developed for this decoder.

Micronas has started volume production of its scan rate converter chip VSP 94x2A, a single-chip solution used for the conversion of television pictures to 100 Hz.

Micronas presented its M2 highly integrated chip that enables TV sets to receive TeleWeb services. The M2 offers high performance at low cost and has been deployed in the majority of TeleWeb-equipped TV sets developed to date.

Micronas and BBE Sound Inc. have signed a partnership program agreement allowing Micronas to license the sound process algorithms of BBE. Micronas already implements the Sonic MaximizerTM technology of the US company in its DSP-based MSP family of ICs.

Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN) today announced that it has been presented the Supplier of the Year Award by Grundig for its outstanding performance in quality, service, and customer loyalty. Selection criteria for the annual award are not only quality and service, but also faithfulness to deadlines and pricing policies. Of Grundig's approximately 600 suppliers worldwide only ten were honored with the best supplier award for the year 2000.

Micronas will supply its highly integrated audio controller for applications for the XboxTM video game system from Microsoft. The digital audio USB codec UAC 355xB integrates all mixed-signal components such as headphone amplifiers and microphone preamplifiers. The resulting small form factor makes the device an ideal choice for system manufacturers.

After two years of high growth rates, the Micronas Group was not in a position to prevent a decline in sales and earnings (after adjustments for acquisitions and currency effects) on account of the very subdued mood that af-fected its markets in the first six months of 2001.

Micronas today introduced Zenon, the first programmable universal controller on the market to address the latest security requirements for electronic music distribution. The highly secure microcontroller, built around an ARM7TDMI 16/32-bit-microprocessor core, supplements the very successful MASF product family of audio processors.

ARM [(LSE: ARM), (Nasdaq: ARMHY)], the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor solutions, and Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN), a pioneer of solutions for MP3 players, today announced the extension of their license agreement for the ARM7TDMI® microprocessor core.

Micronas Group's net sales for the first three months of 2001 came to CHF 154.4 million - CHF 47.8 million, or 44.8 percent, higher than for the same period last year. After adjusting for acquisitions and currency translation, this matches the level set in the first quarter of 2000.

OpenTV (NASDAQ: OPTV and AEX: OPTV), the world's leading interactive television and media solutions company, announces an agreement to license its technology to Micronas Munich (formerly the consumer division of Infineon Technologies), a market leader in TV & multimedia system solutions.

Micronas announced they were presented Samsung's prestigious Award of Contribution at the annual Samsung Visual Media Division meeting. The Award of Contribution is presented in recognition of on-time and reliable delivery of audio and video ICs for Samsung Television Sets. Samsung presents the award annually to their best supplier and cooperative partner.

Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN) announced it has successfully integrated two Hall plates, the specific sensor elements, on a single Hall sensor chip at about half the cost of existing solutions. The new HAL 700 family of sensors is designed for contactless detection of speed and rotary direction in automotive applications such as sliding roofs, windshield wipers, seat adjusters and power windows.

Micronas announced a newly designed and highly integrated family of universal serial bus (USB) audio controllers to drive digital music from the PC deeper into home entertainment systems. Digital music files, once decompressed on the PC by using the computer's processing power, can be streamed into stereo or TV set via the USB.

In the 2000 business year, the Micronas Group succeeded in achieving its ambitious goals right across the board. As reported on 19 February 2001, all our key performance indicators improved, some of them to a marked degree. In the current year, however, the strong upward trend seen over the past two years will level off for a time because of adverse market conditions.

At the 7th annual Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contributions to Excellence (PACE) Award ceremony in Detroit Monday night, Micronas GmbH from Freiburg, Germany was presented the PACE Award for best European product for its Linear Hall-effect sensors.

The Micronas Group, which is listed on the Swiss stock exchange and Frankfurt's Neuer Markt, generated a net profit of CHF 63,5 million for the 2000 business year, more than double the previous year's figure. The return on net sales reached 12,9 percent. Earnings per share were CHF 29.71, up from CHF 13.29 in 1999. Group sales rose by 47,4 percent to CHF 490,3 million, of which CHF 59,5 million were contributed by the"Image and Vide" division acquired in the 4th quarter 2000.

Micronas today introduced a reference design for building digital audio players that supports the Secure Digital (SD) flash card design, compliant with the security standards of the SD Card Association. To address audio compression and copy protection issues, which are still largely unsettled, the reference design from Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN), co-developed by SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), is designed to support the Secure Digital Music Initiative specifications.

Having received the approval of the relevant anti-trust authorities, Micronas Holding GmbH, Freiburg im Br., has completed its acquisition of the "Image and Video" division of Infineon Technologies AG, Munich. The new business unit will be consolidated into the Micronas Group with effect from 1 October 2000.

Micronas introduced at Electronica the first all CMOS integrated circuit (IC) for the entire demodulation of the IF signal used in TV sets. In addition to the new DRX chip, only one simple and cost efficient surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter is required. The DRX provides the initial technology enabling TV sets to receive digitally broadcasted programs.

Micronas announced that it has sold 100 million units of its Multistandard Sound Processors (MSP) chip family, making it the industry's most successful chip family in its class. Integrated in the MSP chips are demodulator and baseband functions for use in TV environments

The new VCT 38xxA family of highly complex ICs integrating video, controller and teletext functionality aims at applications in TV sets with picture tubes between 21 inch and 36 inch. This allows the manufacturer of TV sets to reduce the number of different chassis variations in order to reduce costs for logistics and production.

Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN) has expanded its range of existing Hall sensors and switches for automotive applications with the new HAL 810 and HAL 815 types. Micronas has developed the HAL 8xx family of CMOS sensors as a contactless alterna-tive to existing potentiometers and mechanical switches to avoid problems with dirt and wear.

At Electronica 2000, Micronas announced three new families of its Low Emission Automotive Processors (LEAP) based on an ARM7TDMI® CPU: The Car Dashboard Controller familiy (CDC), the Car Body Controller family (CBC) and the Car Entertainment Controller family (CEC).

The Micronas Group can report a positive sales and earnings growth in the third quarter of the current financial year. Net sales for the third quarter was CHF 119.1 million while net profit was CHF 19.9 million. Consolidated net sales for the first nine months of 2000 increased by 46.4 percent to CHF 335.9 million compared to the same period last year.

Micronas Semiconductor Holding AG, Zurich, and Infineon Technologies AG, Munich (FSE/NYSE: IFX), today announced that Micronas has acquired Infineon's "Image and Video" consumer electronics integrated circuits operations, with economic effect from August 1, 2000. The transaction, worth a total of EUR 250 million, includes development and sales activities and 130 former Infineon employees.

Micronas (SWX: MASN; Frankfurt Neuer Markt: MNSN) has announced its latest Audio Box IITM product. The Audio Box II is a streaming interface that enables traditional home stereo equipment to be connected to the PC to deliver digital audio from the Internet. Audio

Micronas announced its latest MP3 chip enabling both decoding (playback) and encoding (recording) of music in digital MP3 format. Called MAS 3587F, the chip allows the development of MP3 recorder/playback products that do not have to rely on a PC or the Internet as the only source for MP3 music files.

ARM [(LSE:ARM); (NASDAQ:ARMHY)], the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor solutions, and Micronas today announced that Micronas has licensed the ARM7TDMI® microprocessor core from ARM. Micronas will use the ARM® technology for next-generation automotive controller solutions including its dashboard controllers, which are used to process data from sensors and other devices and display it on the dashboard.

Micronas, supplier of chips for consumer and automotive applications, has licensed the ARM7TDMI processor core from ARM Ltd. Together with its partner, automotive supplier VDO, Micronas will develop and manufacture next-generation automotive controllers such as dashboard controllers, and a host of fast emerging applications automotive.

Micronas has introduced a new Hall-effect switch, called HAL 1000, for position and speed measurements that can replace traditional mechanical micro switches. Micronas is currently the world's leading manufacturer of Hall sensors based on submicron CMOS processes, which allows them to integrate the Hall plate, logic circuitry, DSP, and EEPROM on one chip.

The Micronas Group has put in a very good performance for the first six months of the current financial year. Consolidated net sales for the period under review were up 51.4 percent on the figure posted for the first half of 1999 at CHF 216.7 million. Net profit went up from CHF 5.5 million to CHF 32.6 million and the company's net profit margin on sales came to 15 percent. Earnings per share improved from CHF 3.39 to CHF 15.25 by half-year comparison. Sales of CHF 455 million and a net profit of CHF 55 million are forecast for the 2000 financial year as a whole.