Toppan Photomasks Continues Export Registration with U.S. State Department
Move Safeguards Technology and Expands Markets
Toppan Photomasks, Inc. announced today that the U.S. State Department is continuing the company's registration as an International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) supplier. The company first received ITAR registration in August 2004, when it was named DuPont Photomasks, Inc. Registering as a manufacturer of technology covered by the Arms Export Control Act demonstrates Toppan Photomasks' continuing commitment to maintain processes that keep data and products secure, and allows the company to serve additional government and defense-related markets.
Administered by the U.S. State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, ITAR regulates "defense articles" and services included on the U.S. government's "munitions list." The restrictions apply to goods, software, technical data and services that were specifically designed or modified for defense purposes or have predominant military applications. Articles on the munitions list include certain defense-related electronics, software and electronic designs and drawings. Components designed specifically for use in the production of items covered under ITAR, including photomasks, also may be subject to these regulations. Companies engaged in manufacturing or exporting ITAR-controlled goods and services are required to register with the U.S. State Department.
"Our ITAR registration assures our customers that the company takes these matters very seriously to safeguard intellectual property, data and products that they produce," said Jim Northup, chief operating officer of Toppan Photomasks. "Moreover, our continued incorporation in the U.S. and registration as an ITAR supplier provide Toppan Photomasks with significant growth opportunities in the expanding U.S. defense-related and homeland security markets."
Toppan Photomasks' security procedures include but are not limited to using encryption to send and receive encrypted data, storing data in protected directories, and restricting access to the data to security-trained employees. In addition, the company's lithographic tools used in making photomasks are shielded behind firewalls. After a period of time, the data is automatically deleted after each photomask is written. Among other safeguards, the company also adheres to the ITAR requirement that restricts disclosing or transferring technical data to foreign nationals.
About Toppan Photomasks
Together with the photomasks business of Toppan Printing, we form the world's premier photomask provider. Utilizing operations within the industry's most advanced and largest network of manufacturing facilities, the company offers a comprehensive range of photomask technologies, and research and development capabilities, to meet the increasingly sophisticated and divergent product-and-service requirements of the global semiconductor industry. Toppan Photomasks, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toppan Printing. The company is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, USA. For more information visit www.photomask.com.
About Toppan Printing
Founded in 1900, Toppan Printing has branched into eight diverse business fields including security cards, commercial printing, publications printing, e-business, packaging, decorative materials, electronics and optronics. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, Toppan posted revenues of ¥1,413.6 billion (approximately US$13.5 billion) and ended the year with approximately 32,700 employees. For more information visit www.toppan.co.jp.
Company Contact
Tom BlakeDuPont Photomasks, Inc.
Tel: (512) 310-6562
tom.blake@photomask.com