Avnet Cilicon Announces Agreement with Formation Inc.; Formation Joins Avnet Design Services Provider Program

Business Wire, Nov 19, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2002

Avnet Cilicon, the semiconductor specialist division of Avnet Electronics Marketing, signed an agreement with leading solutions engineering firm Formation Inc. to provide Avnet Electronics Marketing customers with third party design services as part of the Avnet Design Services Provider program (ADSP).

Formation leverages its background in LAN/WAN and wireless communications, storage systems, network interoperability and gateways, to provide innovative solutions to its customers' requirements in the avionics, transportation, data communications, defense, digital entertainment and telecommunications markets. Products developed include multimedia systems, high-speed data interfaces, communication networks, ruggedized servers, and data, voice and video recorders. The Avnet Design Services Provider program pools top engineering design service companies, such as Formation, to provide customers with superior board- and system-level solutions. Customers seeking third party design assistance can gain access to a select group of pre-screened and certified Design Services Providers through Avnet Cilicon. Avnet Cilicon and Formation will supply Avnet customers with expert design as well as manufacturing services, addressing the entire product development cycle, from initial design concept through final production.

"Formation is very pleased to have been selected one of Avnet's design partners," said Nim Evatt, Formation CEO. "With our experience in many of Avnet's target markets, our broad technology library of skills, our depth of resources and manufacturing capability, we have the ability to add significant value to the products and services that Avnet provides to its customers."

Phil Heine, director of the Avnet Design Services Provider program agreed: "We are very enthusiastic about formalizing our existing relationship with Formation. Through Formation's development team and manufacturing facilities, Avnet EM can offer customers a complete product development solution."

About Avnet Cilicon

Avnet Cilicon is the semiconductor distribution specialist division of Avnet Electronics Marketing in the Americas. Avnet Cilicon combines semiconductor expertise, technical excellence and deep market knowledge to enhance time to revenue for all supply-chain partners in the electronics arena. Avnet Cilicon's core competencies include materials management, technical support through Avnet Design Services, logistics support through Avnet IMS and customer-centric, dedicated sales channels.

To learn more about Avnet Cilicon's capabilities, please visit http://www.cilicon.com/ or call 800/408-8353.

About Formation Inc.

Formation Inc. was founded in 1970, is privately held, and is headquartered in Moorestown, N.J. Formation Inc. 121 Whittendale Drive, Moorestown, NJ; telephone - 856/234-5020; fax - 856/234-8543; Web - www.formation.com. The company is an embedded systems provider that can rapidly bring customers' ideas to market using specialized disciplines that rapidly advance a concept through the design, engineering and manufacturing phases.