Semblant Announces Leading Asian Distributor Joins Semblant's SPF Premier Partner Program

CHANDLER, AZ--(Marketwire - Dec 18, 2012) - Semblant today announced the leading supplier of industrial equipment, materials and services in Asia, WKK, has joined its Semblant Plasma Finish (SPF) Premier Partner Program. WKK has partnered with Semblant to address growing demand for PCB surface finish advancements in Asia. WKK is a leading broad-based, global company with a wide range of distribution services for original equipment manufacturers (OEM), contract manufacturers and printed circuit board (PCB) sectors. WKK's customers can choose Semblant's PCB surface finish to replace expensive precious metal finishes with Semblant's SPF plasma finish for best-in-class in-field reliability.

Key Facts

• WKK has been a pioneer in supplying equipment, materials and services for the electronics industries in Asia for over 38 years. WKK's SMT Division focuses on providing customers with the most advanced surface mount equipment and its PCB Division focuses on PCB manufacturing equipment, materials and product application services.
• Semblant's patented plasma surface finish (SPF) provides unmatched PCB corrosion protection against creep corrosion and environmental pollutants. Semblant's SPF extends PCB shelf life and improves RF performance. Unlike other finishes, SPF can be applied to any metal finish including copper, silver, or gold. SPF on copper maximizes PCB cost-performance and can replace expensive and hazardous metal plating processes.
• Semblant's SPF premier partner program facilitates quick-turn evaluation, prototyping and production for military-aerospace, industrial, automotive, medical, mobile, enterprise and consumer networking and computing OEMs by connecting SPF's corrosion protection and RF performance benefits with PCB fabs that produce PCBs for OEMs in high-reliability or high-volume product segments.

Supporting Quotes

Hamed El-Abd, WKK Executive Director and President

• "We are thrilled to be able to offer our OEM customers the highest quality of PCB reliability and RF performance. Our customers in the high-reliability, high-performance and high-volume segments now have access to the best performing PCB surface finish on the market."

Steven Lowder, Semblant CEO

• "We are excited to officially welcome WKK into the Premier Partner program and to formalize our already existing friendship. With WKK, we expand access to SPF and increase Semblant's presence in the Asia -- the largest market for PCB production. Through the partnership, WKK is able to meet its large and growing customer base's growing demand for the most advanced PCB surface finish."

About Semblant
Semblant is the leader in innovative nanomaterials for electronics manufacturing. Its mission is to deliver advanced plasma process solutions that radically improve electronics manufacturing. Semblant's plasma processes reduce energy use, require no water or hazardous material recycling, and replace the need for expensive metals while providing improved product quality and lower manufacturing costs. With its disruptive technology, the company is addressing a $1.6 billion market, and a variety of applications including mobile devices, consumer electronics, enterprise computing, networking infrastructure, automotive and military-aerospace. Semblant's processes have achieved acceptance by major PCB manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers worldwide. For more information, visit www.semblant.com

About WKK
WKK was established in 1975 as a trading and distribution company supplying capital equipment, materials and services to the printed circuit board (PCB) industry throughout Asia. The company was a natural extension of the business founded by Mr. Wong Wha San, who in 1962, set up a PCB factory. When the business of the factory grew rapidly in 1975, WKK was created as the trading and distribution arm.

As the Group's activities continued to grow, so did its involvement and expertise in dealing with all parts of the world. WKK has been one of the foremost pioneers in supplying capital equipment, materials and services for the electronics industry in China for more than 38 years.