DPMI Dupont Photomasks, (MM)

BindKey Selects FTD Solutions as Southeast Asia Distributor Appointment Extends Global Services for Global IC Design Accounts SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- BindKey Technologies, a DuPont Photomasks (NASDAQ:DPMI) company and leading provider of design for manufacturing (DFM) solutions for nanometer IC design, today announced the appointment of FTD Solutions ( http://www.ftdsolutions.com/ ) as its exclusive distributor for Singapore, Malaysia and India. FTD will distribute BindKey's RapiDesignClean(TM) and RapiDRCFix(TM) DFM products. FTD Solutions provides a full range of EDA sales and support functions, customized training and consultancy. FTD Solutions is one of the largest distributors of IC design solutions in the Asia Pacific region, with sales offices in Singapore, Malaysia and India, where they also have a joint venture with Toshiba for IC design. FTD Solutions joins other leading BindKey distributors in Asia, including Innotech in Japan, Davan Tech in Korea and Maojet in Taiwan. "IC design is a global activity, with Singapore, Malaysia and India rapidly increasing their share," said Jeff Menkes, BindKey vice president of worldwide sales. "BindKey chose FTD Solutions because it is a top-notch distribution company, and, as a design organization, it understands the complex requirements of nanometer design and the importance of moving DFM further up in the design cycle." "As a leading EDA software distribution company for the last 10 years in Southeast Asia and India, we have consistently worked with companies like BindKey that understand the design issues engineers face and provide practical automation solutions," said Effindi Ahmad, general manager of EDA distribution for FTD Solutions. "With its very fast RapidDesignClean product and other DFM products, BindKey enables correct-by-construction design even with the complex design and manufacturing rule sets required in nanometer design. The best part of the BindKey product line is it works with a customer's current design environment without requiring replacement of toolsets or changes in methodology." BindKey DFM Solutions By solving manufacturability requirements during the design process, BindKey is addressing some of the toughest challenges in IC physical implementation. Chief among these are increasing design complexity and manufacturing constraints. With nanometer ICs, designers must assure that the physical design (layout) can be manufactured with acceptable yield, account for the manufacturing process impact on chip function and performance, and manage critical tradeoffs between performance and yield. BindKey is meeting these challenges with new solutions to implement complex rules-driven requirements, verify manufacturability and optimize layout for lithography, yield and performance. BindKey's DFM solutions include: -- RapiDesignClean, a rules-driven IC layout solution that enables engineers to produce DRC-clean layouts fast and manage application of recommended DFM rules. RapiDesignClean is the first tool of its kind to provide full support for the most advanced technologies (90nm and below) in real time. RapiDesignClean lets layout engineers see exactly which rules apply for each edit, provides immediate notification when rules are violated and automatically repairs many violations in real time. The product complements customers' existing layout and physical verification flows. -- RapiDRCFix is a rules-driven auto layout correction tool for repairing design rule violations and implementing recommended DFM rules for nanometer IC layout. RapiDRCFix can correct thousands of DRC violations in less than an hour and supports large-scale implementation of recommended DFM rules. About BindKey BindKey is a leading supplier of semiconductor design for manufacturing (DFM) software solutions. The company's electronic design automation (EDA) tools produce design-rule-correct integrated circuit (IC) layouts, improving chipmakers' productivity and time to market by solving manufacturing issues during the physical design phase. BindKey is headquartered at 510 North Pastoria Ave., Sunnyvale, Calif., and has direct sales and support offices in Silicon Valley, Austin, Texas, Munich, Germany, and distributors throughout the Pacific Rim. For more information, please call 866-RapidIC (866-727-4342) or visit the company Web site at http://www.bindkey.com/. BindKey is a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont Photomasks, Inc. NOTE: RapiDesignClean and RapiDRCFix are trademarks of BindKey Technologies Inc. All other products are trademarks of their respective companies. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain statements contained in this document that are not historical facts, are "forward looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements may concern growth and future operating results, forecasts, projections, pricing pressures, the global economic climate, new products and product enhancements, the future importance of EDA technology, the demand for products, competitive factors, research and development activities and expenditures, strategic relationships with third parties, and our strategy. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current plans, expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties. Additional risk factors affecting our business may include relationships with and dependence on the semiconductor industry, fluctuations in quarterly and annual earnings, operating in a capital intensive industry, significant fixed costs, rapid technological change, competition, significant international operations, world-wide market volatility, manufacturing risks, fluctuation of income tax rates, concentration of customers, dependence on suppliers, dependence on management and technical personnel, volatility of market prices, potential acquisitions or dispositions, technology challenges in the manufacture of advanced photomasks, intellectual property, and changes in governmental laws and regulations. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth above, certain of which are more fully discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated September 9, 2004 and the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q dated November 5, 2004. The forward-looking statements are made as of the release date hereof and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why the actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE: BindKey Technologies Inc. CONTACT: Rich Bruer of McClenahan Bruer, +1-503-546-1000, or , for BindKey Technologies Inc.; or investors, Tom Blake of BindKey Technologies Inc., +1-512-310-6562, or Web site: http://www.ftdsolutions.com/ Web site: http://www.bindkey.com/

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