General Semiconductor Opens $29 Million Semiconductor Factory In Tianjin, China

Business Wire, Oct 22, 1997

MELVILLE, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--October 22, 1997--General Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:SEM) today announced the opening of a $29 million, 120,000 square-foot semiconductor factory in Tianjin China.

"Our new Tianjin facility provides us with the geographical advantage of proximity to several of our largest customers," said Ronald A. Ostertag, Chairman & CEO of General Semiconductor. "As a result, the Company will be in a better position to continue our ongoing program of superior service. In addition, we will have direct access to one of the world's most dynamic and burgeoning markets."

The new factory will employ approximately 750 workers by year end and will initially produce bridge rectifiers. Both the variety of products produced at the new plant and the size of the workforce are expected to increase.

The factory, located in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), is about 200 kilometers southeast of Beijing. TEDA is one of the largest industrial zones in China and is well supported by local Tianjin government.

General Semiconductor, Inc. is a market leader in the discrete segment of the semiconductor industry, with manufacturing facilities in China, France, Germany, Ireland, Taiwan and the United States. The company has a strong sales presence in every part of the globe. It provides customers around the world with a broad range of rectifiers, transient voltage suppressors and small signal transistors. Its customers include leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, lighting, telecommunications equipment, computers, automobiles and automobile aftermarket products.

The information set forth above includes "forward-looking" information and, accordingly, the cautionary statements contained under the caption "Cautionary Statement for Purposes of 'Safe Harbor' Provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995" in the Company's Proxy Statement dated June 13, 1997 are incorporated herein by reference. General Semiconductor's actual results could differ materially from the "forward-looking" information in this press release.

Visit General Semiconductor on the web at www.gemsemi.com

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