Freescale Named a Winner of the Managing Automation 2008 Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards

Company Will Be Honored at the Progressive Manufacturing Black Tie Gala June 12, 2008 at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas

AUSTIN, Texas -- Freescale Semiconductor was selected as a winner of the fourth annual Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards, selected by Managing Automation, a Thomas Publishing Company, LLC media brand.

The Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards Program recognizes 50 projects that have achieved distinction in at least one of the eight core disciplines defined by Managing Automation as critical to business success in the years ahead. These disciplines include: business model mastery, customer mastery, supply network mastery, data & integration mastery, innovation mastery, training & education mastery, leadership and operational excellence.

Freescale was recognized in the data and integration category for its innovative use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track product in its Oak Hill Fab, a semiconductor wafer factory in Austin.

"This new crop of Progressive Manufacturing winners reflects the amazing creativity and determination alive today in the manufacturing community," said David R. Brousell, editor-in-chief of Managing Automation. "These companies are taking bold steps to rethink their business models and processes, their relationships with customers and partners, and to create new advantages for themselves in business speed and value. In doing so, they are positioning their organizations for greater success now and in the years ahead."

When the Oak Hill Fab started production in 1991, it had a state-of-the art automated material handling system. Over time, that system became obsolete and the company needed a cost-effective way to improve product handling.

"This recognition from Manufacturing Automation validates the hard work of the manufacturing and IT teams," said Alex Pepe, senior vice president, Supply Chain for Freescale. "We needed a solution that improved productivity without requiring a large capital expense or disrupting the factory environment. The results have exceeded our expectations."

In this project, Freescale in conjunction with RFID provider AeroScout, designed a solution to track work-in-process wafer lots in its 200-millimeter wafer fab in Austin. The solution reduces cycle time and ensures that the correct lot is transported on time to its correct destination. The fab has seen up to a seven percent improvement in productivity based on this project.

About the awards

Project nominations were reviewed by an independent judging panel chaired by David Brousell, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Automation. Judges included Lisa Bodell, CEO, FutureThink; Bill Canis, Vice President for Research and Innovation, The Manufacturing Institute at the National Association of Manufacturers; Douglas A. Engel, Former Vice Chairman and Manufacturing Industry Practice Leader, Deloitte; Chris Knuffman, Lean Manufacturing Champion, Quincy Compressor (2006 Award Winner); Larry Lapide, Ph.D., Director, Demand Management, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics; Paul E. Martin, Global Chief Information Officer, Rexam Plc (2005 Award Winner); Bruce McKay, Executive Vice President, Livingston & Haven (2007 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year); Scott Mingus, Global Director, New Project Development, Glatfelter (2007 Award Winner); Eric Middelstadt, CEO, The National Council of Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM); James A. Robbins, Partner, Accenture Industrial Equipment Practice; Maureen Steinwall, President, Steinwall Inc. (2006 Award Winner); and Steven Vidakovic, Ph.D., Technology and Knowledge Integration, Global Supply Chain, Pfizer Inc. (2007 Award Winner).

Judges evaluated and scored nominated projects based on the following criteria: project scope, business impact, customer impact, technology use and scale. Progressive Manufacturing 50 winners were the companies receiving the highest total scores in their respective categories.

The Progressive Manufacturing 50 award winners will be honored and presented with their awards at the Progressive Manufacturing Black Tie Gala to be held on the last day of the 2008 Progressive Manufacturing Summit, June 10-12, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. More than 175 manufacturing technology executives are expected to attend. In addition to presenting the awards to the Progressive Manufacturing 50 winners, Managing Automation will also announce at the gala dinner High Achievers in each of the eight disciplines, as well as the 2008 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2007 sales of $5.7 billion (USD). www.freescale.com.

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