Xicor, Vishay join on EEPOT deal

Electronic News, Nov 3, 1997

Milpitas, Calif.--Xicor, Inc. and Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. have joined forces in a private-label deal expected to expand the market for Xicor's EEPOT digitally controlled potentiometers. The agreement covers Xicor's current EEPOT family of electrically adjustable potentiometers as well as future EEPOT products.

EEPOTs are the semiconductor equivalent of traditional mechanical potentiometers and trimmers, but are said to provide extra benefits.

Under the pact, Vishay will purchase EEPOTs from Xicor for resale under its own label, and will deploy its sales and marketing expertise to bring the EEPOTs to its broad customer base. Xicor will continue to sell its EEPOTs under its own label through its current distribution channels. Vishay will sell the EEPOTs worldwide, except in Japan.

The two companies say they intend to combine Xicor's semiconductor capabilities with Vishay's passive components depth and market presence to "drive a rapid expansion of the market for semiconductor digitally controlled potentiometers.

Raphael Klein, Xicor's chairman and president, said, "By joining forces with the leader in the passive components market we believe that our EEPOT product family will gain access to new market opportunities in Vishay's established base at the largest customers in the consumer, telecommunications, computer and automotive markets."

Felix Zandman, chairman and CEO of Vishay, commented, "Xicor's adjustable semiconductor integrated circuit devices complement our existing product line and continue the expansion started by our recent entry into diode and transistor products. With this agreement, our product offerings encompass the broadest product line of any resistor supplier."

Vishay's Dr. Zandman added, "We expect that Xicor's continued development of new EEPOT products will expand these offerings. Vishay's sales force will be able to bring the benefits of these integrated circuit products to our customers around the world because of our long-term relationships with them."

Xicor and Vishay said that EEPOTs are semiconductor chips which leverage the nonvolatile reprogrammable nature of EEPROM to create the equivalent of potentiometers with added functions. The EEPOT, with no moving parts, can reportedly be adjusted at any time to any resistance value by keyboard, telephone or other wired or wireless communication system and the set-and-forget nature of the device will keep stable resistance value after the adjustment.

The companies claim that EEPOTs make life easier for the system designer and manufacturer as they bring solid state reliability and digital performance to the world of potentiometers. The in-the-system programmability of EEPOTs and their lack of moving parts are expected to have applications in communications, consumer, computer, office automation, industrial, automotive and military products.

Xicor's product line includes advanced and standard EEPROMs, EEPOT digitally controlled potentiometers, Secure SerialFlash memories, various memory and secure Smart Cards, and nonvolatile SRAMs.