Innovation Wins Big at APEX: Henkel R&D Commitment Results in Impressive Awards Haul

The current economic climate, though challenging, certainly hasn't deterred the technology specialists at Henkel from continuing on an aggressive R&D path. As evidenced by an impressive five award wins during last week's APEX show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Henkel's commitment to innovation and materials advance is stronger than ever.

Two Henkel electronics assembly materials � Hysol� UF3800� CSP/BGA underfill and Multicore� LF700� lead-free, halide-free solder paste � emerged as winners in their respective categories in several awards contests. Honored by the IPC's Innovative Technology Center, Circuits Assembly magazine's NPI Awards and SMT magazine's Vision Awards programs, Hysol UF3800 proved that underfill materials can deliver on several complex and historically unachievable performance criteria. Designed for use with CSP and BGA devices within handheld communication and entertainment products, Hysol UF3800 flows fast at room temperature, cures quickly at low temperature is halogen-free, reworkable and delivers excellent thermal cycling performance. The unique chemistry of the material offers a relatively high glass transition temperature (Tg) required for improved thermal cycle performance as well as good reworkability � two properties that are normally counter to each other. In most cases, reworkable materials have a low Tg, which then also lowers the thermal performance. But Hysol UF3800 offers both a high Tg and reworkability. All of these unique properties combine to offer manufacturers reduced capital equipment and energy costs by eliminating the requirement for dispensing heaters, improved sustainability through the material's halogen-free formula and reworkability, and excellent thermal cycle performance from Hysol UF3800's high Tg. But, it wasn't just the award judging panels that found the material worthy of recognition, as several well-known device manufacturers visited Henkel during the three-day APEX event and were also quite intrigued with the new underfill's capabilities.

Also singled out by the IPC's contest and Circuits Assembly's NPI awards program was Henkel's new lead-free, halide-free solder paste, Multicore LF700. Formulated to deliver improved benefits and performance characteristics as compared older-generation and competitive products, Henkel's new solder paste goes beyond basic lead-free functionality to deliver more advanced, truly enabling capabilities. The material reduces voiding in BGA solder joints, delivers a high tack force to provide stability during high-speed component placement and offers long printer abandon times of up to four hours even when printed onto extremely fine-pitch 0.4mm CSP apertures. Delivering superb solderability over a wide range of reflow profiles in both air and nitrogen with effectiveness on several surface finishes including Ni/Au, Immersion Sn, Immersion Ag and OSP copper, Multicore LF700 provides manufacturers with unmatched process flexibility and outstanding in-field performance.

Commenting on the honors, Henkel's Vice-President of Product Development and Engineering, Dr. Michael Todd, said, �Clearly, customers are the ultimate judge of our R&D success. But, having three such prestigious awards programs recognize these ground-breaking materials and our commitment to innovation is very rewarding. We sincerely thank IPC, Circuits Assembly and SMT for sponsoring these important industry contests and want to congratulate the dedicated Henkel staff that engineered such truly enabling technologies.�

For more information on Hysol UF3800, Multicore LF700 or any of Henkel's advanced electronics materials, call the company headquarters at 949-789-2500 or log onto http://www.henkel.com/electronics.

About Henkel

For more than 130 years, Henkel has been a leader with brands and technologies that make people's lives easier, better and more beautiful. �Henkel operates in three business areas � Home Care, Personal Care, and Adhesive Technologies � and is ranked among the Fortune Global 500 companies. More than 60 percent of Henkel's sales are in fast-moving consumer goods, while the industrial business accounts for almost 40 percent of the company's total sales. In fiscal 2008, Henkel generated sales of 14,131 million euros and adjusted operating profit of 1,460 million euros. Our more than 55,000 employees worldwide are dedicated to fulfilling our corporate claim, "A Brand like a Friend," and ensuring that people in more than 125 countries can trust in brands and technologies from Henkel.