MEMS Industry Group Achieves Milestones in 2007

Leading Trade Association Increases Membership, Hosts Successful MEMS Executive Congress, Names Managing Director and Inks Strategic Partnerships in Past 12 Months

 | Quelle: MEMS Industry Group MEMS Industry Group

PITTSBURGH, PA--(Marketwire - December 5, 2007) - As microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices proliferate beyond inkjet printers and airbags to mobile phones and consumer electronics, automotive safety, and medical technology, the industry group dedicated to the commercialization of MEMS has experienced unprecedented growth. In 2007, MEMS Industry Group (MIG), the trade association representing the MEMS and microstructures industries, has boosted membership by 20%, brought record numbers of attendees to its annual event, MEMS Executive Congress, named a managing director, and signed strategic agreements with industry analysts and organizations.

Expanding Membership

MIG welcomed a number of companies, large and small, to its membership, including: Analog Devices, Maxim Technology Products, Acuity Micro, Acutronic USA, ARC Technologies, Axept, FEI Company, MEI LLC, MEMStaff, Microvision, NIST, Nova Electronic Materials, Plan Optik, Primaxx, Inc., Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Siimpel Corporation and Silex Microsystems.

Highlights from MEMS Executive Congress

A record number of attendees joined MIG at its second annual MEMS Executive Congress, held November 4-5, 2007 in Del Mar, CA. The Congress featured presentations and panel discussions in which industry visionaries shared the latest innovations in commercial MEMS technology with an executive audience. Highlights included: 

--  Three keynote speakers offering their perspective on the future of the
    MEMS Industry. Dr. Frédéric Neftel, President and CEO, Debiotech SA spoke
    about the trend toward 'smaller, precise, robust and disposable devices, a
    transformation enabled by MEMS technology;' Brian Wirth, Global Product
    Manager, MEMS, GE Sensing, discussed the diverse applications for MEMS in
    environmental, energy and healthcare markets; and  Philippe Kahn, Chairman,
    Fullpower Technologies, expounded on 'how software will enable MEMS to
    truly take off -- as demonstrated by the success of the iPhone';
    
--  Panel discussions on Mobile Media (featuring Nokia, Qualcomm, Texas
    Instruments, Microvision, SiRF and Discera), Medical Technology (featuring
    Honeywell, OMRON, GE Sensing, Cleveland Medical Devices, Medtronic and
    IceMOS Technology), and Consumer Goods (featuring Analog Devices,
    InvenSense, Akustica and Siimpel); and
    
--  Special presentations by EnOcean, Yole Développement and Wicht
    Technologie Consulting.

MEMS Executive Congress 2008 will be held November 5-7 in Monterey, CA.

Highlights from METRIC

At MIG's annual members-only meeting, METRIC, held May 15-16 2007, conference attendees joined to address specific challenges affecting the MEMS industry. Device manufacturers, foundries and MEMS services, and equipment manufacturers explored topics spanning MEMS processes, design rules and best practices for accelerated growth. Working groups also met by market segments: Industrial, Telecom, Medical, Entertainment, and Defense/Homeland Security focused on common challenges and disconnects among these market segments. MIG is currently undertaking recommendations made during METRIC 2007, including the creation of a MIG member capability directory. METRIC 2008 will be held May 7-9 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Strategic Relationships Formed by a New Managing Director

Under the aegis of its new managing director, Karen Lightman, MIG formalized a number of strategic industry relationships this year. MIG developed alliances with Bourne Research, Chipworks, MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council. (MEPTEC), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Wicht Technologie Consulting (WTC), and Yole Développement. From discounts on industry research to collaborative relationships with other trade associations, MIG's strategic partnerships benefit its member companies in many ways.

Looking Forward to 2008

"2007 has been a tremendous year of positive change and growth for MIG, and we anticipate that 2008 will bring even more benefits to our members and to the industry at large," said Karen Lightman, Managing Director, MEMS Industry Group. "In addition to continuing our cornerstone conferences, METRIC and MEMS Executive Congress, MIG 2008 will launch a series of MEMS business short-courses. These short-courses will provide attendees an insider's view and historical perspective on the critical elements affecting MEMS product success and profitability. This program is another example of how, through its members, MIG is the virtual and physical place for people and organizations to come together to address industry issues and further the commercialization of MEMS."

About MEMS Industry Group

MEMS Industry Group is the trade association representing the MEMS and microstructures industries. The Association enables the exchange of non-proprietary information among members; provides reliable industry data that furthers the development of technology; and works toward the greater commercial development and use of MEMS and MEMS-enabled devices. MIG includes more than 75 member companies, such as Analog Devices, Bosch, Freescale Semiconductor, GE Global Research, Honeywell, IBM, Intel, Okmetic, OMRON, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments. For more information, please visit www.memsindustrygroup.org.

Contact Information: PRESS CONTACTS (For Editors Only): MEMS Industry Group Karen Lightman Phone: 412/390-1644 Email: Vetrano Communications Maria Vetrano Phone: 617/876-2770 Email:

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