04 Dec 2008

Cardiff, 4th December 2008: IQE, the leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafer products and wafer services to the semiconductor industry, is pleased to announce that it has been named winner of the inaugural Wales Innovation Award.

The Award which was sponsored by Penn Pharma, was presented to IQE during the annual Wales Quality Awards Ceremony at Cardiff City Hall.

Sir Roger Jones, Penn’s founder and former WDA Chairman, who presented the award said: “The intention behind the award is to recognise innovation across Wales and by so doing encourage more of it.”

IQE’s Chris Meadows who accepted the award said: “IQE has over 20 years experience within a fast moving, highly specialised, high-tech environment in which innovation is a way of life.” He added: “We are proud of this recognition and look forward to the Wales Innovation Award stimulating many more innovative businesses in Wales”


Contacts:

IQE plc (+44 29 2083 9400)

Press:
Chris Meadows


NOTE TO EDITORS

IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers with products that cover a diverse range of applications, supported by an innovative outsourced foundry services portfolio that allows the Group to provide a 'one stop shop' for the wafer needs of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers.

IQE uses advanced crystal growth technology (epitaxy) to manufacture and supply bespoke semiconductor wafers ('epi-wafers') to the major chip manufacturing companies, who then use these wafers to make the chips which form the key components of virtually all high technology systems. IQE is unique in being able to supply wafers using all of the leading crystal growth technology platforms.

IQE's products are found in many leading-edge consumer, communication, computing and industrial applications, including a complete range of wafer products for the wireless industry, such as mobile handsets and wireless infrastructure, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, base stations, GPS, and satellite communications; optical communications, optical storage (CD, DVD), laser optical mouse, laser printers & photocopiers, thermal imagers, leading-edge medical products, barcode, high efficiency LEDs and a variety of advanced silicon based systems.

The manufacturers of these chips are increasingly seeking to outsource wafer production to specialist foundries such as IQE in order to reduce overall wafer costs and accelerate time to market.

IQE also provides bespoke R&D services to deliver customised materials for specific applications and offers specialist technical staff to manufacture to specification either at its own facilities or on the customer's own sites. The Group is also able to leverage its global purchasing volumes to reduce the cost of raw materials. In this way IQE's outsourced services, provide compelling benefits in terms of flexibility and predictability of cost, thereby significantly reducing operating risk.

IQE operates six manufacturing facilities located in Cardiff (two) and Milton Keynes in the UK; in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Somerset, New Jersey in the USA; and Singapore. The Group also has 11 sales offices located in major economic centres worldwide.