Varian Semiconductor Completes Installation of Third Single Wafer High

    Business Editors/Technology Editors

    GLOUCESTER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2005--Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSEA) announced today that it has completed the installation of a third single wafer VIISta 80HP high current ion implanter to enhance UMC's advanced process capacity at its 300mm Fab in Tainan, Taiwan.
    "Varian Semiconductor works closely with UMC to provide both the most productive single wafer high current ion implanters and strong customer support from our local office to ensure that UMC meets its production schedule demands," said John Aldeborgh, Varian Semiconductor's vice president of marketing. "Particularly at 90nm and 65nm technology nodes, the 300mm VIISta 80HP can handle more advanced processes and deliver the high productivity required by our customers to bring their products to market quickly. As the industry transitions to narrower line widths, lower energies and more implant steps, we anticipate that customers like UMC will continue to choose Varian Semiconductor's single wafer VIISta 80HP high current ion implanter based on its demonstrated high productivity and advanced process capabilities which are critical to advanced device development."
    With over 100 VIISta high current ion implanters already in production, Varian Semiconductor is the market leader in single wafer high current systems. The VIISta 80HP high current ion implanter delivers the highest sub-90nm technology productivity and yields due to its unique beam steering capability and exceptional particle performance. The VIISta 80HP is a member of the VIISta suite of ion implanters - the only single wafer platform solution for all production applications.

    About Varian Semiconductor

    Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. is a leading producer of ion implantation equipment used in the manufacture of semiconductors. The company is headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and operates worldwide. Varian Semiconductor maintains a web site at www.vsea.com. The information contained in the Company's web site is not incorporated by reference into this release, and the web site address is included in this release as an inactive textual reference only.

    About UMC

    UMC (NYSE: UMC, TSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that manufactures advanced process ICs for applications spanning every major sector of the semiconductor industry. UMC delivers cutting-edge foundry technologies that enable sophisticated system-on-chip (SoC) designs, including 90nm copper, 0.13um copper, and mixed signal/RFCMOS. UMC is also a leader in 300mm manufacturing: Fab 12A in Taiwan and UMCi in Singapore are both in volume production for a variety of customer products. UMC employs over 10,500 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Europe, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com.

    Note: This release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, the statements concerning the Company's performance, market share and technology leadership, technological capabilities and benefits are forward-looking statements and any statements using the terms "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important risks and factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These include, among others, volatility in the semiconductor equipment industry; economic conditions in general and as they affect the Company's customers; significant fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; the impact of rapid technological change; the Company's dependence on the development and introduction of new products; the Company's concentration on ion implantation systems and related products; concentration in the Company's customer base and lengthy sales cycles; the highly competitive market in which the Company competes; risks of international sales; foreign currency risks; and general economic conditions; and other factors identified in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

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CONTACT: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. Susan Torbitt, 978-282-2410 Public Relations and Communications susan.torbitt@vsea.com or Mary Wright, 978-282-5859 Director, Investor Relations mary.wright@vsea.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE MANUFACTURING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOURCE: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

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