NASHUA, N.H., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Effective September 1, 2006, SMT joined the Solid State Technology and Advanced Packaging media franchises to better serve the entire chain of semiconductor manufacturing -- from wafer processing to chip packaging and board assembly. Synergy among the three publications creates a marketing powerhouse reaching over 100,000 engineers immersed in the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing industry.

Veteran group publisher David Barach has been assigned to lead the global semiconductor trio. The Solid State Technology franchise includes Solid State Technology magazine, Microlithography World, four international publications, three e-newsletters, an array of compelling digital media vehicles, and the highly coveted Attendees' Choice Awards program. Advanced Packaging and SMT each have international partner publications, targeted e-newsletters, websites, and interactive webcasts, as well as two annual industry awards events -- The Advanced Packaging Awards and SMT Vision Awards -- created to recognize leading products in each industry.

Combining Solid State Technology, Advanced Packaging and SMT provides an unparalleled reach to the worldwide semiconductor industry. With Solid State Technology's circulation of approximately 42,000 audited subscribers, an Asian reach of more than 50,000 buyers, Advanced Packaging's 22,000+ subscribers, and SMT's readership of 40,000, no other worldwide media network provides this competitive edge to the marketplace.

"The alignment of these three industry-leading brands offers a more focused service to our customers as well as a unique and unequaled reach to the worldwide semiconductor marketplace," said Mark Finkelstein, Senior Vice President, PennWell Corporation. "Both readers and advertisers alike will benefit from this significant realignment in terms of market coverage and promotion."

"I am both honored and thrilled to take the helm of SMT. This particular industry is robust, and through collaborative initiatives with Advanced Packaging and Solid State Technology, the SMT franchise will surely be enriched to better serve our readership and the industry," said David Barach, Group Publisher.

About SMT

SMT magazine offers greater technical depth than any other publication of its type, providing an up-close look at the electronics industry for OEMs and MS providers who design, assemble, and test surface mounted printed circuit boards. Through the print magazine, E-Newsletter, and website, our readers get the latest information and analyses on technological developments and industry trends in materials, components, equipment, and methods for surface mount assembly. For more information, visit http://www.smtmag.com/.

About Solid State Technology

Solid State Technology serves engineers and engineering managers all over the globe with in-depth, technical authoritative information on the latest advances in processes and materials for fabrication of integrated circuits and other thin-film devices. Solid State Technology also covers metrology, robotics/automation/wafer handling, fab software, yield improvement, contamination control, vacuum technology, and other allied technologies for semiconductor/thin-film processing plants, as well as fab management topics. WaferNEWS is Solid State Technology's weekly newsletter that is received by executives in the semiconductor equipment and materials industry. For more information, visit http://www.solid-state.com/.

About Advanced Packaging

Advanced Packaging is dedicated to providing its readers with the best technical information on semiconductor packaging in a practical, useful format. Our experienced staff provides the best resources for packaging professionals, including a website with additional industry-specific information, daily news updates, a bi-weekly E-Newsletter, and a product resource guide on the website. Our mission is to ensure that Advanced Packaging continues to be the essential resource for electronic packaging applications. For more information, visit http://www.apmag.com/.

About PennWell Corporation

PennWell Corporation is a diversified business-to-business media and information company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following global industries: Oil and gas, electric power, water, electronics, semiconductor, contamination control, optoelectronics, fiber optics, computer graphics, enterprise storage, information technology, fire, emergency services, and dental. Founded in 1910, PennWell publishes 75 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 60 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, directories, websites, research, and database services. In addition to PennWell's headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Company has offices in Nashua, New Hampshire, Houston, Texas, London, England, and other locations worldwide. http://www.pennwell.com/.

For more information, please contact: Carol Fronduto 603-891-9169 carolfd@pennwell.com

CONTACT: Carol Fronduto of PennWell Corporation, +1-603-891-9169,
carolfd@pennwell.com

Web site: http://www.pennwell.com/
http://www.apmag.com/
http://www.solid-state.com/
http://www.smtmag.com/