Oxford Semiconductor Acquires TransDimension; Acquisition Expands Portfolio of Connectivity Products Addressing High-Growth Markets

Business Wire, Oct 5, 2005

IRVINE, Calif. -- Oxford Semiconductor Inc. today announced its acquisition of TransDimension Inc. a leading provider of USB connectivity solutions for embedded applications. The move strengthens Oxford's connectivity product portfolio and expands its global presence through the creation of a new, U.S.-based parent company.

A market leader in interface bridging ICs and FireWire-based external storage solutions, Oxford Semiconductor's acquisition of TransDimension places the company in a position of technology leadership as the preeminent supplier of complete FireWire- and USB-based connectivity solutions for the rapidly growing consumer electronics, storage, audio and add-on card markets. The acquisition also enhances the new company's prospects for the successful participation in wireless USB, projected to be widely utilized in many future consumer, storage and PC peripheral applications.

William MacKenzie, Oxford Semiconductor president and CEO, commented, "TransDimension brings not only the size to enable us to reach a greater critical mass and lower relative cost structure, but also a complete range of USB connectivity solutions including the popular SoftConnex USB-embedded software, and complements Oxford's strength in 1394."

"The TransDimension team is pleased to join Oxford Semiconductor in the pursuit of world-class connectivity solutions," said Rick Goerner, TransDimension president and CEO. "The acquisition provides an ideal blend of technologies for our combined, global customer base. Both companies possess leadership positions in our respective markets and share a common solutions-oriented corporate model focused on connectivity."

Formerly headquartered in the U.K., Oxford Semiconductor has relocated its headquarters to Milpitas, Calif. The company will maintain its U.K. Design Center as well as its regional offices in North America, Singapore and Taiwan. TransDimension's Irvine-based facility will remain in place. Under the terms of the acquisition, Goerner will become senior vice president of sales and marketing. TransDimension's product portfolio will become one of four product lines in the Oxford Semiconductor family of products.

The new company has a strong, global customer base that includes Behringer, Griffin, Hewlett-Packard, Lacie, LG, Maxtor, NCR, Pioneer, Samsung, Siemens, Sony, and Thales.

About TransDimension

With headquarters in Irvine, TransDimension is a privately held company founded in 1997 to develop and market peripheral connectivity solutions. TransDimension's product lines include the integrated circuits, IP cores and USB software stacks that enable direct connectivity between a wide range of PC peripheral applications and mobile devices. Until now, these products have required an indirect means, such as a PC host, to exchange data. TransDimension's SoftConnex USB solutions provide the broadest OS and CPU platform support and the largest library of peripheral class drivers available.

As a wholly owned subsidiary, TransDimension will change its name to Oxford Semiconductor. More information about TransDimension can be found at http://www.transdimension.com.

About Oxford Semiconductor

Oxford Semiconductor designs and markets high-performance connectivity controllers for the storage, multimedia communication, computing, and industrial markets. Founded in 1992, Oxford is a privately owned company with headquarters in Milpitas.

As the market leader in IEEE1394 (FireWire) and USB interface controllers for direct attached storage applications, Oxford Semiconductor has shipped more than 10 million devices, and today supplies all of the world's major external storage manufacturers.

Oxford Semiconductor also has a strong reputation in high-speed serial communication chips, and offers complete solutions for bridging between a wide range of standard computer interfaces. Through its FireWire audio controllers, Oxford Semiconductor has led the development of breakout boxes, external sound cards and multi-channel speaker systems, providing laptop users with quality sound for the very first time. More information about Oxford Semiconductor can be found at http://www.oxsemi.com.