SHANGHAI --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 17, 2009--  Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.  (NASDAQ:KLIC) today announced the formal launch of iStackPSTM—a next generation die bonding platform for advanced stacked die and high-performance ball grid array (BGA) applications. iStack, developed under the code name Discovery, includes a number of innovative features that increase bonding speed, accuracy, and reliability. iStack is capable of delivering up to 30% productivity increases over the current generation of die bonding products. iStack joins ICONNPSTM and CONNXPSTM in Kulicke & Soffa’s Power Series line of leading-edge bonding equipment. Power Series products set new standards for performance and ease of use for reduced cost of ownership. The Company officially launched iStack at SEMICON China 2009, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre  March 17-19 , Shanghai PRC.

Following the debut of iStack, the Company expects to conduct a series of evaluations with customers over the next few months.

Commenting on the announcement, Scott Kulicke, Chairman and CEO of Kulicke & Soffa, said “We expect iStack to reset the standards in die bonding for its targeted applications and to increase our share of the overall die bonding market. iStack represents a continuation of the K&S tradition of producing more than just the industry’s best hardware. iStack provides state-of-the-art process capability and is backed by the best engineering support and technical resources available in our market. iStack will advance our customers’ capabilities and reduce their costs. Even in this period of economic uncertainty our customers continue to evaluate the most advanced products for their future needs. For advanced stacked die and high performance BGA applications, iStack is that product.”

About Kulicke & Soffa

Kulicke & Soffa (NASDAQ:KLIC) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of semiconductor assembly equipment. As a pioneer in this industry, K&S has provided customers with market leading packaging solutions for decades. In recent years, K&S has expanded its product offerings through strategic acquisitions, adding die and wedge bonders and a broader range of expendable tools to its core ball bonding products. Combined with its extensive expertise in process technology, K&S is well positioned to help customers meet the challenges of assembling the next-generation semiconductor devices. (www.kns.com)

Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements

In addition to historical statements, this press release contains statements relating to future events and our future results. These statements are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to global economic conditions, future demand for our products, benefits to our customers from our products and services, and increased market share. While these forward-looking statements represent our judgments and future expectations concerning our business, a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors could cause actual developments and results to differ materially from our expectations. These factors include, but are not limited to: successful launch and market acceptance of the iStackPSTM die bonding platform; deteriorating global economic conditions, resulting in, among other things, sharply lower demand for products containing semiconductors and for the Company’s products; the risk of failure to successfully manage our operations; the risk that anticipated customer orders may not materialize or that orders received may be postponed or canceled, generally without charges; the volatility in the demand for semiconductors and our products and services; the risk that we may not be able to develop and manufacture new products and product enhancements on a timely and cost effective basis; acts of terrorism and violence; risks, such as changes in trade regulations, currency fluctuations, political instability and war, associated with a substantial foreign customer and supplier base and substantial foreign manufacturing operations; and the factors listed or discussed in Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Kulicke & Soffa Industries is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.

FD
Geoff Grande, CFA
P: 617-747-1721
F: 617-747-1711
geoff.grande@fd.com
or
Kulicke & Soffa
Tom Johnson
Director – Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
P: 215-784-6411
F: 215-784-6167
tjohnson@kns.com