Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) was named a recipient of Intel Corporation's prestigious 2004 Supplier Continuous Quality Improvement (SCQI) award, Intel's highest honor for its suppliers, for outstanding commitment to quality and performance by suppliers that provide products and services deemed essential to Intel's success. The company was given the award for its efforts in supplying Intel with litho track, dry etchers, surface preparation systems, diffusion furnaces and wafer probers. Tokyo Electron Limited and 16 additional SCQI award winners will be honored at a celebration in Burlingame, CA, on March 15.

"I am very pleased that TEL has been awarded the Intel SCQI award. This is the 5th consecutive year for us to receive this award and is a testimony to the hard work and dedication to excellence exhibited by all of our employees. This past year was particularly challenging to TEL, as we added a 5th product line at Intel locations worldwide, while continuing to provide a high level of performance in all of our other product areas. Looking forward, TEL is committed to improving all aspects of our performance in order to provide even greater value to Intel and all of our customers. On behalf of TEL employees worldwide, I want to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to Intel for honoring us with this very prestigious award," said Kiyoshi (Ken) Sato, President and COO, Tokyo Electron Limited.

"Congratulations to TEL for winning Intel's highest supplier quality award, SCQI, for the fifth consecutive year. This tremendous achievement is a result of TEL's continued focus on operational excellence, new technology integration, broad-based total cost of ownership reduction, and customer satisfaction. We recognize the commitment and diligent work from TEL across multiple technologies. Intel looks forward to working with TEL in 2005 as we raise our mutual expectations for future success," said Janice Golda, Director, Lithography Capital Equipment Development, Intel Corporation.

The SCQI awards are part of Intel's Supplier Continuous Quality Improvement process, which encourages Intel's key suppliers to strive for excellence and continuous improvement. To qualify for SCQI status, suppliers must score at least 95 percent on a report card that assesses performance and ability to meet cost, quality, availability, delivery, technology and responsiveness goals. Additional information about the SCQI program is available at http://supplier.intel.com/quality/.

Intel also will recognize SCQI award winners today with an advertisement in the U.S., Europe and Asian editions of the Wall Street Journal.