TDK Tdk Corp

Headway Places Multiple System Order for FEI's Certus(TM) 3D Metrology Tool In-Fab System Increases Yields, Quality and Performance for Both Longitudinal and Greater Than 100 GB/in(2) Perpendicular Recording Heads HILLSBORO, Ore., April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FEI Company announced that Headway Technologies, a subsidiary of TDK Corporation , has ordered multiple Certus(TM) 3D DualBeam(TM) systems for advanced in-fab process metrology. With this latest Certus 3D order, Headway will have the most advanced production metrology tool set in the industry. "As the demand for data storage capacity continues to double every 12 months, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of nanoscale fabrication," said Tony Razouk, vice president of Headway operations in Milpitas, California. "The Certus 3D enables us to increase the performance of our current high-volume products and to bring new technology nodes online with greater ease, speed and efficiency. We believe we will receive a rapid return on our investment." "FEI has had a long-term relationship with Headway Technologies, and this order represents an important transition in the use of our latest generation tools from product qualification to production," said Nick Dawes, vice president of FEI's fab metrology group. "Since we introduced Certus last year, all major thin film head manufacturers have completed qualification of the new tool and are moving toward volume production use." About FEI: FEI Company provides advanced Tools for Nanotech to a range of nanotechnology markets, including data storage, semiconductors, materials science and life science. Its ion beam and electron beam products, market-leading DualBeam(TM) systems, and productivity-enhancing automation software packages enable researchers and manufacturers to view, characterize, fabricate and modify nanoscale structures. The company and its predecessors have been paving the way for nanoscale exploration and discovery since 1946. FEI Company currently has more than $360 million in annual revenue, consistent operating profitability, manufacturing and development facilities in North America and Europe, and service operations in more than 40 countries worldwide. For more information visit: http://www.feicompany.com/. About Headway Technologies, Inc. and TDK: TDK Corporation is a leading global electronics company based in Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialize "ferrite," a key material in electronics and magnetics. TDK's current product line includes ferrite materials, electronic components and ICs, wireless computer networking products, magnetic heads for hard disk drives, digital recording hardware and advanced digital recording media. Headway Technologies, Inc. is a subsidiary of TDK Corporation and produces magnetic heads for hard disk drives. For more information about TDK, please visit http://www.tdk.co.jp/. Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements that include the potential for volume production use of FEI equipment. Factors that could affect these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the strength of the data storage markets; lower than expected customer orders; cancellation of customer orders; increased competition and new product offerings from competitors; and failure of the company's products and technology to find acceptance with customers. Please also refer to FEI's Form 10-K, Forms 10-Q and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information on these factors and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. FEI assumes no duty to update forward-looking statements. DATASOURCE: FEI Company CONTACT: Dan Zenka of FEI Marketing Communications, +1-503-726-2695, or , or Fletcher Chamberlin, FEI Investor Relations, or +1-503-726-7710, or Web site: http://www.tdk.co.jp/ Web site: http://www.feicompany.com/

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