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Mentor Graphics Corporation (Wilsonville, OR) has acquired the printed circuit board (PCB) computer-aided design software division, also called the ECAD division, of CADIX Incorporated, a Japanese company. This acquisition strengthens Mentor's worldwide leadership in PCB design tools with the ECAD product lines and adds a world-class research and development team in Japan. The acquisition also strengthens the Mentor Graphics PCB design tools sales and support in Japan. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"Mentor Graphics is the world market leader in PCB design tools," said Walden C. Rhines, chairman of the board and CEO of Mentor Graphics Corporation. "Mentor has long been a leader in delivering high performance PCB solutions for the computer, aerospace, telecommunications, and US and European consumer markets. The ECAD division of CADIX has maintained a leadership position in the Japanese analog and consumer markets where many world class consumer manufacturers are competing. Mentor Graphics is able to complement the ECAD division's technologies to address the emerging digital consumer market, which is reaching increasing levels of sophistication and complexity. Mentor intends to offer its Japanese customers a superior PCB Design flow used by more companies worldwide than any other."

CADIX's ECAD Division, which had exclusive distribution rights in Japan for Mentor's Expedition product line, also offers multi-platform tools used to design analog, digital and hybrid consumer products. The CADIX ECAD solutions cover design capture, layout, and manufacturing output. Mentor Graphics will be integrating the ECAD tools and technologies with the Mentor Graphics PCB design flow.

"The digital consumer market in Japan has recently exploded," said Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of the System Design Division, Mentor Graphics. "Designers of consumer products are being increasingly challenged by larger digital content in traditional analog designs, cost-reduction, time-to-market pressures, and a worldwide design and manufacturing environment. To develop a solution to meet this demand, we needed a partner who has experience working with world-class consumer manufacturers. This acquisition puts Mentor Graphics at the forefront of the PCB market in Japan and offers a real alternative for local designers to Zuken."

"CADIX is excited to work with a technology leader such as Mentor Graphics. Our current product lines and R&D capability compliment Mentor Graphics PCB solutions. Mentor Graphics Japan's local sales and support staff will allow Mentor to deliver the best products to consumers that are looking for next generation design solutions," said Masakazu Ono, President of CADIX Incorporated. "Further, the CADIX ECAD team's experience in customer service and support in the local Japanese market will be a key element for future success."

Edited by David Maliniak
Managing Editor, ElectronicsWeb.com

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