Contact Information: Vicor Corporation 25 Frontage Road Andover, MA 01810-5413 Phone: 800-735-6200 www.vicorpower.com Picor Corporation 51 Industrial Drive North Smithfield, RI 02896 Phone: 401-235-1100 www.picorpower.com V-I Chip Corporation 25 Frontage Road Andover, MA 01810-5413 Phone: 800-735-6200 www.vicorpower.com/products/vichip/ Sanken Electric Co., Ltd. 3-6-3 Kitano, Niiza-shi, Saitama-ken 352-8666, Japan Phone: 81-48-472-1111 www.sanken-ele.co.jp Polar Semiconductor Inc. 2800 E. Old Shakopee Rd. Bloomington, MN 55425-1350 Phone: 952-876-3000 www.polarfab.com
Sanken Electric and Vicor to Bring Thin, Efficient Power System to Consumer Markets
| Source: Vicor Corporation
ANDOVER, MA--(Marketwire - June 12, 2008) - Vicor Corporation (NASDAQ : VICR ) announced
today that Sanken Electric Co. (TSE : 6707 ) and Vicor have entered into a
non-exclusive license agreement to commercialize Vicor's V-I Chip
technology for consumer markets, including the flat-panel television
market. Under the terms of the agreement, Sanken will design, manufacture,
and market products based on Vicor's V-I Chip technology. Sanken, Polar
Semiconductor, Inc. (PSI) (a Sanken subsidiary), Vicor, V-I Chip
Corporation (a Vicor subsidiary), Picor Corporation (a Vicor subsidiary),
and Great Wall Semiconductor Corporation are parties to the agreement.
The first product to result from this collaboration is a complete 300W
AC-DC power system for flat-panel TVs. This high efficiency power system
is very thin, measuring only 10mm in height, and features a footprint that
is four times smaller than competitive products. This power system
capability will allow Sanken and Vicor to enable the next wave of
ultra-thin, large format, flat-panel TVs. Ultra-thin TVs should become
available to consumers in the spring of 2009.
"Sanken Electric has been a leader in power supply solutions for the
flat-panel TV industry for many years," said Sadatoshi Iijima, President of
Sanken Electric. "Vicor's Factorized Power Architecture™ and its V-I
Chip™ building blocks have reset the state-of-the-art in power system
density, efficiency, and flexibility. By partnering with Vicor, Sanken
gains access to proprietary power conversion technology which we can use to
serve our many customers in this important market space."
"Sanken Electric is an expert manufacturer of power components with a
tradition of excellence in automated manufacturing of cost-effective
products for consumer electronics applications," said Patrizio Vinciarelli,
CEO of Vicor. "Sanken is very well connected in Asia, and is committed to
serving large customers in consumer markets with world-class technology,
high volume manufacturing, and an integrated supply chain. Sanken is a
great partner to penetrate the flat-panel display market with V-I Chips."
As part of the ongoing partnership, Sanken Electric and V-I Chip have
agreed to enter into a Mutual Second Source Agreement to supply each other
with V-I Chips manufactured in their respective facilities. Sanken will
transfer V-I Chip assembly technology to its Ishikawa facility, where
Sanken's first automated V-I Chip manufacturing line will be installed.
Mutual second sourcing gives Sanken and V-I Chip a global presence that
will facilitate adoption of V-I Chips in flat-panel displays and accelerate
penetration of other markets, including Blade Computing and Automated Test
Equipment. "Industry pioneers and early adopters that have embraced V-I
Chips and Factorized Power to enable higher performance servers and test
equipment will be able to source V-I Chips from factories in the US and
Japan," noted Vinciarelli.
Under the partnership, Sanken's subsidiary PSI will continue to supply
silicon wafers and advanced BCD technology to Picor, a Vicor subsidiary
specializing in high performance ASICs, power management and low power
products. In addition, Sanken, PSI, V-I Chip, and Picor will collaborate
on advanced ASICs and systems for next generation power products. "PSI is
primarily focused on high quality, low cost wafer manufacturing for the
Sanken Group," said Zen Suzuki, CEO of PSI. "However, PSI is also an
Advanced IC and Power Design Center for Sanken. Sanken and PSI will
collaborate with Picor and V-I Chip to enable innovative ASICs and power
products for our customers."
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any
statement in this press release that is not a statement of historical fact
is a forward-looking statement, and, the words "believes," "expects,"
"anticipates," "intend," "estimate," "plans," "assumes," "may," "will,"
"would," "should," "continue," "prospective," "project," and other similar
expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
also include statements regarding bookings, shipments, the pace of new
design wins with early adopters and gaining broader product acceptance
within Vicor's target markets, and plans to expand capacity with
incremental investments in equipment. These statements are based upon
Vicor's current expectations and estimates as to the prospective events and
circumstances that may or may not be within Vicor's control and as to which
there can be no assurance. Actual results could differ materially from
those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various
factors, including those economic, business, operational and financial
considerations set forth in Vicor's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2007, under Part I, Item I -- "Business," "--
Competition," "--Patents," and "--Licensing," under Part I, Item 1A --
"Risk Factors," under Part I, Item 3 -- "Legal Proceedings," and under Part
II, Item 7 -- "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations." The risk factors set forth in the Annual Report
on Form 10-K may not be exhaustive. Therefore, the information contained in
Annual Report on Form 10-K should be read together with other reports and
documents Vicor files with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time
to time, including Forms 10-Q, 8-K and 10-K, which may supplement, modify,
supersede or update those risk factors. Vicor does not undertake any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of future
events or developments.
Vicor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures and markets modular power
components and complete power systems based upon a portfolio of patented
technologies. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, Vicor sells its
products primarily to the communications, information technology,
industrial control and military electronics markets.
For further information, contact Stephen Oliver, Vice President, V-I Chip
Sales and Marketing (978) 470-4900. For information on Vicor and its
products, please visit the company's website at www.vicorpower.com.