Chartered, IBM and Samsung Announce Availability of DFM Support for Common Platform 65nm Technology; Leading EDA and DFM Tool Suppliers Support Open Foundry Approach to DFM

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq:CHRT)(SGX-ST:CHARTERED), International Business Machines Corporation, andSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the availability ofdesign-for-manufacturing (DFM) technology, models, design kits anddata files from leading EDA and DFM suppliers in support of thecompanies' 65-nanometer (nm) Common Platform technology -- amulti-company semiconductor process technology, enablement and crossmanufacturing initiative at 90nm and 65nm. The announcementunderscores the unprecedented openness and accessibility of the commonplatform model, and delivers new levels of insight into the sharedmanufacturing processes available to customers.

The capabilities and support -- from Cadence Design Systems, Inc.,Clear Shape Technologies, Magma Design Automation, Mentor Graphics,Ponte Solutions, and Synopsys, Inc. -- provide not only additionalfunctionality for verification of manufacturability, but also drivegreater manufacturing awareness earlier in the design process.Augmenting existing design flows, the support facilitates faster rampto volume and better yields on the 65nm processes available at each ofthe companies' manufacturing facilities.

Also available immediately is an up-to-date set of 65nm DFM layoutguidelines, developed through shared-learning, for the Common Platformtechnology.

"We have created a differentiated solution empowering customers byallowing them to make relevant tradeoffs early on in the designcycle," stated Steve Longoria, vice president, SemiconductorTechnology Platform for IBM Systems and Technology Group. "Through ourjointly developed robust qualification processes, we have been andcontinue to evaluate the best industry tools for our growing DFMsuite. The capabilities we can collectively deliver to our mutualclients address head-on the most critical issues and challenges fordeveloping designs that will be manufacturing-friendly in leading-edgeprocess technologies."

The broad-reaching support strengthens the cross-foundry platformwith a complete solution that will help designers targeting the common65nm process to make more informed design decisions that will lead tohigher yields. The kits and models offer designers detailed views andguidelines for designing to the specific physical characteristics ofthe Common Platform parties' highly complex, integrated manufacturingprocesses.

"The common platform model is built on a philosophy of opennessand our approach to DFM exemplifies that through the extent and depthof information we provide to our DFM companies in order to enabledesigners to have tighter control and predictability," said KevinMeyer, vice president of worldwide marketing and platform alliances atChartered. "We have redefined the industry standard for providinginsight into a manufacturing process by putting relevant DFMinformation into the designers' hands. The net result is a furtherenhancement of the flexibility and accessibility benefits of thecommon platform for leading-edge manufacturing."

The Common Platform technology companies outlined their DFMstrategy and roadmap in September 2005, highlighting the eight keyareas of focus by the joint development teams. The collaborativeeffort addresses pressing design closure challenges, including timing,area, power, signal integrity, and manufacturability. The DFMcapabilities are delivered through a series of rules- and model-baseddesign kits that contain critical information required by designers tobetter predict the impact their decisions will have on a manufactureddesigns implemented in a variety of operating ranges, modes, andconditions.

Specific capabilities include:

-- DFM checking decks for rules compliance checking from Mentor Graphics

-- Critical area analysis to identify potential yield sensitivity hotspots from Ponte

-- Lithography simulation across process windows to find hotspots at standard cell, IP and full-chip level using Mentor's Calibre LFD

-- CMP modeling of full-chip thickness variation from Cadence

-- Full-chip-level shape simulation and design-manufacturability-check from Clear Shape Technologies

-- DFM support in place-and-route reference flows from Cadence, Magma, Synopsys

The DFM support also includes simultaneous yield and leakageoptimization tool support from an unannounced DFM company.

The capabilities from the EDA and DFM suppliers benefit from arigorous qualification process in all three companies' manufacturingenvironments, as well as the system-level design expertise the CommonPlatform technology companies bring with respect to DFM.

"By expanding our cooperation in 65nm process development anddesign enablement to include DFM flows and tools for the CommonPlatform technology, we continue to improve on the designcompatibility across our fabs at the GDS level to include designoptimization for higher yields," said Ana Hunter, vice president oftechnology for Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Depending on a customer'spreference, these tools can be integrated directly in their designflow or offered as a service by any of the Common Platform technologycompanies."

The DFM support strengthens the Common Platform companies' designenablement strategy, which includes a set of common reference flowsand technology kits that support the use of the most popular EDAtools, libraries and IP cores. The DFM offering builds on thatecosystem of support with a DFM Rules and Utility Kit and a DFM ModelKit that package a new range of capabilities available to designers.

About Chartered

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq:CHRT)(SGX-ST:CHARTERED), one of the world's top dedicated semiconductorfoundries, offers leading-edge technologies down to 65 nanometer (nm),enabling today's system-on-chip designs. The company further servesits customers' needs through a collaborative, joint developmentapproach on a technology roadmap that extends to 45nm. Chartered'sstrategy is based on open and comprehensive design enablementsolutions, manufacturing enhancement strategies, and a commitment toflexible sourcing. In Singapore, the company operates a 300mmfabrication facility and four 200mm facilities. Information aboutChartered can be found at www.charteredsemi.com.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing onresources from across IBM and key IBM Business Partners, IBM offers awide range of services, solutions and technologies that help enablecustomers, large and small, to take full advantage of the new era ofe-business on demand. For more information about IBM, visithttp://www.ibm.com. For more information on IBM's on demand strategy,visit http://www.ibm.com/ondemand.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor,telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologieswith 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income ofUS$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 90offices in 51 countries, the company consists of five main businessunits: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCDBusiness, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication NetworkBusiness. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands,Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memorychips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visitwww.samsung.com.

All trademarks or registered marks are property of theirrespective companies.

Chartered Safe Harbor Statement under the provisions of the UnitedStates Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This news release contains forward-looking statements, as definedin the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private SecuritiesLitigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements,including without limitation, the statements relating to the low-powerlibrary offering available for the 65-nm low-power process; thesemiconductor industry's recognition of the IBM-Chartered commonplatform; and the benefits of our open business model and open designenvironment reflect our current views with respect to future eventsand are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could causeactual results to differ materially from historical results or thoseanticipated. Among the factors that could cause actual results todiffer materially are: changes in market outlook and trends; demandsfrom our major customers, excess inventory and life cycles of specificproducts; competition from other foundries; unforeseen delays orinterruptions in our plans for our fabrication facilities; theperformance level of and the technology mix in our fabricationfacilities; our progress on leading edge products; the successfulimplementation of our collaborative efforts with IBM, Samsung and ourlibrary support partner; the timing and rate of the semiconductormarket recovery; economic conditions in the United States as well asglobally and the growth of fables companies and the outsourcingstrategy of integrated device manufacturers. Although we believe theexpectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are basedupon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that ourexpectations will be attained. In addition to the foregoing factors, adescription of certain other risks and uncertainties which could causeactual results to differ materially can be found in the sectioncaptioned "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed withthe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not toplace undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which arebased on the current view of management on future events. We undertakeno obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-lookingstatements, whether as a result of new information, future events orotherwise.