July 17, 2007 — SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Following its change of ownership in May 2007 from The Linde Group, BOC Edwards announced today at SEMICON West that it will become Edwards, effective immediately.

“As a leading supplier of vacuum, abatement, chemical management equipment, and services to the world’s semiconductor OEMs and fabs, Edwards will continue to provide superior technology and global service and support to its customers worldwide,” says Nigel Hunton, CEO, Edwards. “With the support of our new owners, CCMP Capital, we intend to invest in growing Edwards as a newly independent, privately owned company, offering greater responsiveness and flexibility to surpass our customers expectations.”

Edwards is the global vacuum technology company that industry has known and trusted for nearly 100 years. Founded by F.D. Edwards in 1919, Edwards High Vacuum International was acquired by The BOC Group in 1968 and became BOC Edwards in 1997. The BOC Group was acquired by The Linde Group in September 2006.

CCMP Capital purchased BOC Edwards’ equipment business from The Linde Group in May 2007. This newly independent, privately owned company will now be known to the industry as Edwards — a global company with more than 4,000 skilled employees.

visit www.edwardsvacuum.com for more information about the company.

About Edwards
Edwards (formerly BOC Edwards) is a leading supplier of integrated solutions for the manufacture of microelectronics devices, including semiconductors and flat panel displays. It is also a world leader in vacuum technology for industrial, scientific, process, and R&D applications. Edwards employs around 4,000 people globally, in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum equipment. Edwards invented the concept of the commercial oil-free “dry” vacuum pump and now supplements this with a wide range of other pumping technologies as well as related products and services.