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UNIROYAL
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT TO ACQUIRE EMCORE'S INTEREST
IN UNIROYAL OPTOELECTRONICS
Sarasota, FL, July 23, 2001 - Uniroyal Technology
Corporation (Nasdaq/NMS: UTCI) announced today the signing
of a letter of intent with Emcore Corporation ("Emcore")
to buy out Emcore's minority ownership position in Uniroyal
Optoelectronics, LLC (UOE). As of June 30, 2001, Uniroyal's
ownership interest in the Optoelectronics joint venture
was 64%. The transaction is subject to certain mutually
acceptable conditions including the approval by the
Boards of Directors of Uniroyal and Emcore. It is contemplated
that shares of Uniroyal common stock will be issued
to Emcore in the transaction.
Howard R. Curd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Uniroyal Technology Corporation, said, "This is a unique way to maximize shareholder value for both Uniroyal Technology and Emcore. Substantial scientific advances recently completed by UOE have resulted in several market leading products that show great commercial promise. This will also allow our shareholders to realize 100% of the exceptional growth anticipated for Uniroyal Optoelectronics." Reuben F. Richards, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of Emcore, added, "Our collaboration with UOE will continue going forward as their success enables them to become an increasingly important buyer of our capital equipment. Emcore will participate in that growth as a shareholder in Uniroyal and the sale of our interest in UOE will allow us to focus additional resources on our other businesses."
Uniroyal Optoelectronics, a manufacturer of high
brightness light emitting diodes (LEDs), recently completed
the expansion of its epitaxial facility in Tampa, Florida
and is nearing completion of its R & D facility. The
expansion includes the addition of three Emcore MOCVD
reactors for the manufacture of high brightness blue
and green LEDs, one of which is designated for R & D
efforts. UOE has assembled a world-renowned R & D team
with highly experienced scientists in the optoelectronics
field drawing talent from Sandia National Laboratories,
Meijo University in Japan, the University of California
in Santa Barbara and Bell Labs/Lucent. This team's experience
and technical knowledge have led to a significant increase
in product offerings providing multiple wavelengths
and colors as well as high brightness blue LEDs exhibiting
brightness levels ranging from 3.5 to 4 milliwatts in
die form. When conventionally packaged, the expected
lamp power output for these devices is between 8 and
10 milliwatts.
The
high brightness LED market continues to show strong
growth, according to Strategies Unlimited, having increased
54% to $1.2 billion in 2000. Applications utilizing
very high brightness LEDs continue to increase as higher
brightness levels result in more cost efficient conversions
to LED lighting from conventional incandescent methods.
Leading markets for high brightness LEDs include traffic
signals, indoor/outdoor signage, and automotive applications.
Uniroyal Technology's Compound Semiconductors
& Optoelectronics business segment includes Uniroyal
Optoelectronics, Sterling Semiconductor, Inc., and NorLux
Corp. Uniroyal Optoelectronics manufactures high brightness
light emitting diodes (HB-LEDs), a rapidly growing market
with applications such as traffic signals, indoor/outdoor
signage and automotive applications. Brand names include
POWER-Ga(i)NJ and POWER-BR(ite)J. Sterling Semiconductor
is a leading producer of silicon carbide (SiC) substrates,
epitaxial thin films on SiC substrates and is developing
SiC devices for wireless communications, industrial
process control, and power amplification. NorLux Corp.
specializes in the design and manufacture of custom
lighting solutions utilizing light emitting diodes (LEDs).
Well-known brand names in Uniroyal's Coated Fabrics
and Specialty Adhesives segments include NAUGAHYDE®
and NAUGASOFT™ in coated fabrics and, SILAPRENE®, HYDRA
FAST-EN® and GUNTHER ULTRA/BOND® in adhesives.
The Company's common stock and warrants trade
on the Nasdaq/NMS under the symbols UTCI and UTCIW,
respectively.
Contact: George J. Zulanas, Jr., CFO, Uniroyal
941-361-2220; Mark N. Tyler, TT Communications 212-962-3690
Statements
made herein that are forward-looking in nature
within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially. Such risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to,
those related to business conditions and the
financial strength of the various markets served
by the Company, the level of spending for such
products and the ability of the Company to successfully
manufacture and market its products.
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