Seoul, November 27, 2007
hynix Semiconductor Inc. (‘hynix’ or ‘the Company’, www.hynix.com) today announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with SiliconFile Technologies Inc. (‘SiliconFile’) to cooperate on the CMOS Image Sensor (‘CIS’) business.
As part of the agreement, hynix will manufacture and sell CIS products using SiliconFile’s design and will provide foundry services with favorable conditions to SiliconFile in exchange. Both parties plan to cooperate on product development thereafter. In addition to this collaborative partnership, hynix will acquire a certain portion of SiliconFile’s equity to further strengthen the relationship.
Last July, hynix announced its plans to diversify its business portfolio which is the main strategic initiative to achieve its long-term goal of becoming the world’s leading semiconductor company. Since then, the Company has been allocating its internal resources to the newly established CIS Division and expanding its respective workforce. Early market entry should be possible as a result of hynix acquiring CIS design capabilities and product lines through the agreement with SiliconFile.
SiliconFile is a leading semiconductor design company specialized in designing and developing CIS products. It employs more than 40 experienced engineers and has developed various CIS intellectual properties since its inception in 2002. The South Korea-based company supplies its products to major mobile manufacturers in Korea, Japan, and China. SiliconFile has recorded significant increase in sales revenue yearly with $13M in 2005, $24M in 2006, and $65M in 2007(estimation) and currently holds approximately 8 percent share of the CIS market for mobile phones.
Through this mutually beneficial agreement forged between the two companies, hynix expects to enter the worldwide CIS market leveraging the synergy derived from combining the strengths of both companies: hynix’s leading memory process technology and productivity and SiliconFile’s CIS design expertise and business experience.
About hynix Semiconductor Inc.
hynix Semiconductor Inc. (HSI) of Icheon, Korea, is the world’s top tier memory semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAMs”) and Flash memory chips to a wide range of established international customers. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Stock Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange. Further information about hynix is available at www.hynix.com.
About SiliconFile Technologies Inc.
SiliconFile Technologies Inc. of Seoul, Korea, is the world’s top 5th CMOS Image Sensor supplier offering 2M, 1.3M and VGA to camera phone makers. This fabless Company’s biggest strength is that they make the smallest CIS in the world. Further information about SiliconFile is available at www.siliconfile.com.
