For Immediate Release, February 2005

Calumet Electronics Corporation Adds Plasma

Calumet Electronics Corporation (CEC) recently purchased March Plasma System's Model PCB-800 plasma treatment system to enhance their printed circuit broad manufacturing capabilities. Their need for plasma processing is driven by a growing market for applications requiring three-point etch back processing (a three-point connection at the inner layer post), and materials that contain higher Tg blend epoxies including Bismalemide Triazine (BT) and Polymide.

When asked why CEC purchased the March Plasma system, Elden Hendrickson, Jr. - Procurement Manager replied, "We have always been committed to continuous improvement focused on 100% customer satisfaction." We did extensive research to insure the best ROI. We polled our material suppliers, visited several production facilities that own March Plasma Systems' equipment, and met with the March team at their Florida facilities. The results showed that the March Plasma Systems PCB-800 was the best choice for our needs."

While the PCB-800 plasma system was initially purchased for three-point etch back capability, CEC established that plasma treatment was also more effective for pre-treating materials such as polymides and BTs prior to electro-less copper processing. Plasma increases the surface energy, providing for excellent lamination and wettability for plating through-holes.

CEC, located in Calumet, MI, has been manufacturing printed circuit boards for over 35 years. All boards are manufactured from UL recognized materials according to a Quality System that is registered to ISO9001:2000 and certified to the Military Specification MIL-PRF-31032. Their highest commitment is to quality, performance, and customer satisfaction; providing a lower cost of ownership for prototype and production requirements. Visit their website, www.cec-up.com for a complete overview of their product offerings.