Mentor Graphics Enters Data Management Market through Acquisition of Descon

WILSONVILLE, Ore., May 30 -- Mentor Graphics Corp., the market leader in PCB system design solutions, today announced it has acquired Germany-based Descon Informationssysteme GmbH, a privately held provider of Product Data Management (PDM) solutions for electronic system design. Descon will become part of Mentor Graphics® Board Systems Division, and will remain located in Nuremberg, Germany. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Descon offers a range of applications focused on the component, library and design data management needs of electronic manufacturing enterprises. Descon's Data Management System (DMS) product suite includes component-supplier information management, EDA library management and a new category of product called Front-End Product Data Management (FPDM). DMS enhances the supply chain management process through the easy integration into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and other business systems. In addition, collaborative and concurrent design is fully realized and accessible through Web technologies.

Descon's data management strategy is open and provides a foundation independent of the EDA vendor. DMS currently supports integration with many EDA vendors, including Mentor Graphics, Cadence, Zuken and Innoveda. As a Mentor Graphics product, the DMS tool suite will continue to offer full support for all major EDA vendors' tools.

``This acquisition is a major component of our systems tool strategy to bring added value to our customers by enhancing all elements of the electronic design process, including design data and supply chain management,'' said Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of Mentor Graphics Board Systems Division. ``Descon's design data management system is the premier solution on the market that integrates enterprise level electronic manufacturing data into the EDA designer's desktop. But even more important to us, the products and technologies that are in development have the potential to revolutionize our customers' design and manufacturing process within the context of an open environment.''

Descon's DMS information management tools and services are used by customers such as Ericsson, Siemens, Rohde & Schwarz and Daimler Chrysler to integrate electronic design processes into their global business processes, thereby accelerating time-to-market and reducing operating costs.

``Through work with joint customers it has become clear that both companies share a common vision for the design data management process,'' said Hans-Ulrich Heidbrink, managing director, Descon. ``Becoming part of Mentor Graphics provides us with the market presence, infrastructure and sales channel to be successful on a global scale.''

Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products and consulting services for the world's largest electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of more than $500 million and employs approximately 2,600 people worldwide. Company headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com.

Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, please contact: Ryerson Schwark of Mentor Graphics, 503-685-1660, ry_schwark@mentor.com; or Emily Taylor of Benjamin Group/BSMG Worldwide, 408-559-6090, emily_taylor@benjamingroup.com, for Mentor Graphics.