FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 30, 2009--  Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.  (NASDAQ: KLIC) today announced the formal launch of ConnX-VLEDPSTM automatic ball bonder—an extension of the company’s leading ConnXPSTM ball bonder designed specifically for vertical LED applications. Devices bonded with a vertical orientation of the lead frame include high brightness and high-power LED lamps, and represent a growing portion of the overall LED market. With the launch of ConnX-VLED,  Kulicke & Soffa  now offers an excellent cost/performance bonding solution for the entire spectrum of LED applications.

ConnX-VLED offers all of the same advantages over competitive products as its namesake, including accuracy to +/- 3.0 μm, automatic recovery paths for common production stoppages, programmable back-up power and many others that make ConnX the technology leader in its class. ConnX-VLED joins iStackPSTM, ICONNPSTM and ConnX in Kulicke & Soffa’s Power Series platform, the next generation of semiconductor assembly equipment for today’s most challenging applications. Driven by the most powerful X-Y-Z motion control system available on the market, Power Series products deliver the highest levels of speed, accuracy and throughput for reduced cost of ownership.

Commenting on the announcement, Scott Kulicke, Chairman and CEO of Kulicke & Soffa, said “recently, the LED market has been one of the bright spots in the semiconductor industry, as interest in energy-saving lighting solutions remains strong even amid the current economic weakness. We expect that this market will continue to grow as the emphasis on energy efficiency becomes common in public policy and private practice. With the launch of ConnX-VLED, we are extending the technology leadership of ConnX to cover the full range of LED applications, and are positioned to grow with this market as energy efficient LED solutions become commonplace.”

ConnX-VLED made its debut at SEMICON China 2009, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre March 17-19, Shanghai PRC.

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 the strength and growth of the LED market, future demand for our products, and benefits to our customers from our products and services. 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 ConnX-VLED wire 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