Infineon Outperforms Power Electronics Market: No. 1 Global Market Position Firmly Reinforced by Faster than Market Average Growth

Sep 1, 2008 | Business & Financial Press

Neubiberg, Germany – September 1, 2008 – Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX) reaffirmed its number one market position in semiconductor discretes and modules for power electronics and outperformed the global market in 2007. According to the latest study of global market research firm IMS Research, Infineon expanded its market share to 9.7 percent of the global power discretes and modules market. Infineon grew by about 23 percent in 2007, while the global market increased by 9.3 percent to USD $13.6 billion (from USD $12.5 billion in 2006). The market research firm forecasts that the power semiconductor discretes and modules market will grow at an average annual rate of 8 to 9 percent over the next five years.

“Despite concerns of a weaker market in 2007, demand remained healthy and impressive growth was seen in many parts of the market,” said Ash Sharma, research director and co-author of the “The Global Market for Power Semiconductor Discretes & Modules 2008” report at IMS Research. “ Infineon achieved an impressive result last year growing much quicker than the overall market and allowing it to retain its position as the largest supplier for the fifth consecutive year.”

“Power semiconductors and modules minimize power dissipation and maximize energy efficiency throughout the entire value chain from energy generation to energy distribution and consumption,” said Arunjai Mittal, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Power Management and Drives business unit at Infineon Technologies. “Infineon will continue to contribute to this endeavor and develop power semiconductors that increase energy efficiency and help use the electrical energy as efficiently as possible.”

Enhanced efficiency in management of electrical power provides a huge potential for energy saving in electrical motor drives, power supplies, computing equipment, consumer products, lighting equipment as well as in cars where power semiconductors are a key component to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

One of the fastest growing applications that considerably benefit from efficiency improvements are solar inverters for photovoltaic systems as used on roof tops and photovoltaic power plants. Infineon’s discrete IGBTs and MOSFETs, such as CoolMOS™, as well as power modules and stacks help to raise solar inverters’ efficiency to up to 98 percent and to feed as much of solar-based electricity into the power grid as possible. IMS Research projects that solar inverter shipments will grow annually by more than 20 percent over the next five years.

The top market players in the power semiconductor discretes and modules market in 2007

According to market report “The Global Market for Power Semiconductor Discretes & Modules 2008” (published August 2008) of market research firm IMS Research, the overall power semiconductor market in 2007 totaled about USD $13.6 billion.

The top market players in 2007 were:

1. Infineon Technologies: 9.7%
2. STMicroelectronics: 7.4%
3. Fairchild: 7.0%
4. Vishay: 6.8%
5. Toshiba: 6.6%
6. Others: 62.5%

About IMS Research

IMS Research is a supplier of market research and consultancy services on a wide range of global electronics markets. The company is supported by offices in Wellingborough, UK, Austin, Texas and Shanghai, China. IMS Research regularly publishes detailed research on power electronics markets such as renewable energy, power supplies, power semiconductors and UPS among many others.

Further information is available at www.imsresearch.com

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2007 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 7.7 billion (including Qimonda sales of Euro 3.6 billion) with approximately 43,000 employees worldwide (including approximately 13,500 Qimonda employees). With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX).

Information Number

INFAIM200809.087