FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

February 15, 2001

JENNIFER BOES, 302.672.6840

(Wilmington, DE) - Today at a meeting with Governor Ruth Ann Minner, visiting German officials from Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft emphasized their commitment to the State of Delaware by announcing they have signed a ten-year lease on a new building at the Delaware Technology Park.

The building will contain the expanded Fraunhofer Resource Center for Materials and Nanotechnology. Currently, the Delaware Fraunhofer Center employs approximately 20 researchers and scientists. As a result of this expansion, the organization plans to grow to a staff of 40-50 by the year 2004.

"This new building will be a visible symbol of the strong relationship we have built with the Fraunhofer organization," Gov. Minner said. "It is also a clear demonstration that the Delaware Technology Park is a tremendous asset for the attraction of new and expanding technology businesses in Delaware."

John D. Wik, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office, said, "We are delighted to see our relationship with Fraunhofer mature and are looking forward to this world-renowned research institute expanding its presence in Delaware."

Dr. Dirk Meints Polter, a member of the Executive Committee of the German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and President of Fraunhofer USA said, "The State of Delaware has developed from a host state to a home state for us."

"Fraunhofer's desire to expand here is further evidence that we have developed the right ingredients for success," said Mike Bowman, President of the Delaware Technology Park. "The newly expanded center will have access to both the technology transfer available at Delaware colleges and universities and the resources of the German institutes and their partner universities."

The Fraunhofer Center will occupy approximately 14,000 square feet in the Delaware Technology Park, located on the campus of the University of Delaware. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has reserved the right to expand its facilities to approximately half of the 58,000 square foot facility.

The Delaware Technology Park will use the remaining space to house start-up technology businesses. The Delaware Technology Park currently incubates 22 high-technology businesses. Since 1993, it has created more than 500 jobs, generating $200 million in revenue.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is Germany's leading organization of institutes of applied research. It undertakes contract research on behalf of industry, the service sector, and government. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft currently maintains 48 research centers in Germany, with six in the United States. They have a staff of 9,600, the majority of whom are scientists and engineers.

The Fraunhofer building will be the fifth building at the Delaware Technology Park. It is expected to be completed by early 2002.