Flash Memory Company Formed

Electronic News, May 14, 2001 by Alex Romanelli

INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG OF MUNICH, GERMANY, LAST WEEK said it founded a company with Saifun Semiconductors Ltd. of Netanya, Israel. The joint venutre, named Ingentix, will develop, manufacture and market flash-memory products based on Saifun's patented nitrided read-only memory (NROM) technology.

Ingentix will initially focus on developing MultiMediaCard storage products, with plans to roll out a low-cost flash-MultiMediaCard with a 64Mbyte capacity, in the third quarter of 2002. In the long term, the company plans to app]y NROM flash technology to other markets and applications.

Infineon said it was a principal developer of the MultiMediaCard and would license its secure-card-storage and security-controller technologies to Ingentix. Saifun is licensing its NROM-based flash-memory technology and embedded flash technology to Ingentix.

Ingentix will be based in Munich and Netanya. Infineon holds a majority share of 51 percent in the new company, while Saifun owns 49 percent. Initially, the main sales activities will be handled via Infineon's existing distribution channels in Germany.

"Combining Saifun's NROM technology and Infineon's expertise in controllers, security and manufacturing processes, Ingentix will not only provide the benchmark technology of the future, but is well positioned to obtain cost leadership," said Boaz Eitan, Saifun's president and chief executive officer, in a statement.