Eaton Corporation

A major global growth opportunity for Eaton's semi-conductor equipment is the application of ion implantation equipment to manufacture flat panel displays. Eaton's new flat panel ion implanter allows manufacturers to use new thin film transistor processes to produce higher performance liquid crystal displays (like those used in laptop computers) at lower cost. Eaton's flat panel sales are expected to exceed $100 million by the year 2001.

Eaton is also developing a joint venture in Korea for automotive controls, including convenience switches, climate controls and actuators for Korean automakers, such as Hyundai, Daewoo and Kia. Prospects are good that these companies will expand distribution of these components to automotive transplants in emerging economies such as India and Poland. During 1997, Eaton also plans to open a new facility to supply limited slip differentials to Korean automakers.

Eaton's IKU unit, headquartered in the Netherlands, is the global leader in mirror actuators. IKU mirror actuators are assembled by importers in Brazil and Korea, and the unit has sales representatives in China, Russia and Taiwan who are opening up new markets for electric mirror actuation.

Eaton power plant control systems are used in Korea and other countries. Utilizing the leading-edge technology of a powerful 32-bit microprocessor for ultra-fast response, the system controls any number of functions from valve operation to monitoring day-to-day plant performance, and is currently being marketed to several additional countries.

Eaton ion implanters are used by most of the world's semiconductor manufacturers to make semiconductor chips. The extended-life ion source in Eaton's ion implanters may last up to twice as long as traditional ion sources, increasing machine uptime and reducing customer operating costs. The robotic arm is designed to position wafers in ion implanters.

The new electrostatic clamp on the NV-8250 medium current implanters holds the wafer on the platen by an electrostatic force, eliminating the need for wafer clamps. This permits full exposure of the wafer to the beam, increasing yield and reducing contamination.

The NV6072 flat panel ion implanter is designed to enable lower-cost thin film transistor manufacturing processes to produce high-performance active matrix, liquid crystal displays.

India - An Emerging Giant

With a population of nearly a billion, India has massive infrastructure requirements, but its markets are developing slowly. Average per capita income remains low, about half that of China. Even so, a sizable middle class is emerging -- roughly 20 percent of income earners generate 40 percent of national GDP -- and this group is fueling demand for a wide variety of products. GDP growth in 1996 is estimated to have exceeded 6 percent.

For many years, an Eaton joint venture, Axles India, Ltd., has manufactured truck axle housings in India. Eaton is also considering several additional joint ventures, including the manufacture of automotive controls as well as engine valves and precision-forged gears. Eaton seeks opportunities in India and other Asian countries to increase market share for hydraulic products, including motors and steering units

About West Coast Engineering

For over 23 years, West Coast Engineering (WCE) has been supplying electronics to OEMs, CEMs and distributors worldwide. Located in Hawthorne California, near the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), West Coast Engineering has established itself as a premier independent distributor specializing in providing electronic components for the military, aeronautical, medical, automotive and commercial manufacturing industries. Diodes Incorporated is one of the hundreds of manufacturers that WCE carries on its linecard.

WCE has the techology and resources to handle any size transaction, no matter how big or small.

Quick Facts

• Founded: 1984
• Headquarters: Hawthorne, CA
• Other Locations: Futain, Shenzhen ▪ China PRC ▪ Brazil

West Coast Engineering is committed to providing the highest quality service to customers with its large diverse inventory stocked in its ISO9001:2000 and ESD compliant 70,000 sq. ft. warehouse. Year after year, West Coast Engineering has been considered a top independent distributor because of its principled reputation built on longstanding relationships with a dedicated customer base.

WCE's strategies differ from any other independent distributors. Listed below are some of the added measures that WCE takes to make sure that OEMs, CEMs and distributors have peace of mind when placing orders for electornic components, selling excess inventory, forming strategic alliances, and purchasing RoHS or
non-RoHS parts.