Nikko Materials USA, Inc. today announced the consolidation of U.S. manufacturing, administration and research and development at its Chandler, Arizona location will be completed May 1, 2005. This move concentrates resources and technical expertise formerly located in several states.

Changes in its senior management team, including the promotion of Tadao Shuto to president and chief executive officer and David P. Burgess to president of its Gould Electronics division, effective May 1, 2005, were also announced.

Mr. Shuto previously served as president and general manager of the company's copper foil operation in the Philippines, GNF (Philippines) Inc., and as vice chairman of Nikko Materials USA's corporate board of directors. He has more than 25 years of engineering and operations management experience for Nikko Materials Co., Ltd., at several global facilities.

Mr. Burgess has held various engineering, operations, quality and management positions within Gould since joining the company in 1980 as a process engineer. He served as vice president and general manager of Gould's Specialty Products business unit from 1995 to 2004.

Nikko Materials USA, Inc. said that Keiji Katagiri will continue as president of the U.S. sputtering target business. Additionally, the company named John P. Callahan, who joined Gould in 1977, as vice president - sales and marketing for Gould foil and CAC products.

Nikko Materials USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Nikko Materials Co., Ltd., produces electrodeposited copper foil for printed circuit board manufacturers and laminators under the Gould brand, and sputtering targets for semiconductor applications, flat panel displays and data storage devices under the Nikko Materials brand.

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Contact:
for Nikko Materials USA, Inc.
Jim Roop, 216-902-3800
jroop@roopco.com

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Source: Nikko Materials USA, Inc.