Alps Electric Announces Cross License Agreement with Synaptics

Business Wire, March 31, 2005

TOKYO -- Alps Electric Co., Ltd. (Pink Sheet:APELY) and Alps' U.S.-based affiliate, Cirque Corporation today announced that it has entered into a cross license agreement with U.S.-based Synaptics Incorporated. The cross licenses in the agreement are worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and royalty-free. The cross license agreement settles certain intellectual property claims of the parties and contains mutual releases of the intellectual property claims of the parties.

Outline of Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Since its establishment in 1948, Alps has grown as a comprehensive manufacturer of electronic components. At present Alps is creating innovative high-value-added products in its main business segments -- Components, Automotive Electronics, Communications, Peripheral Products, and Magnetic Devices -- which are contributing to the advance of a digital society. Alps is a global company that carries out its operations with 24 production bases in 9 countries as well as 59 sales bases in 13 countries. Consolidated net sales in the year ended March 31, 2004 amounted to 619,675 million Yen.