Micrel, Inc., an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth communications and Ethernet IC solutions, today announced that it is opening a new branch office in Hong Kong, China. The Company has formally established Micrel Semiconductor HK Ltd, which is now located at Unit 311, 3/F., Core Building 1, #1 Science Park East Avenue in the Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. The office\'s telephone is: +852 2886 8839; Fax: +852 2886 8851. The office will have sales, customer service, product development and field applications engineering support and is part of Micrel\'s network of Asia-based design centers.

\"Asia-Pacific continues to be Micrel\'s most crucial region in terms of revenue growth and customer base expansion,\" noted Chris Dingley, vice president of global sales, Micrel. \"Micrel has therefore increased its focus on Asia-Pacific starting earlier this year by naming Micrel veteran John Lee as the Company\'s Managing Director of Asia-Pacific. The new office in Hong Kong provides Micrel with a central location to drive expansion and to respond to market trends and customer needs throughout Asia.\"

\"The location of our new office is in the heart of Asia\'s high tech, Hong Kong Science Park,\" noted John Lee, Managing Director of Asia-Pacific. \"From here, our base of operations will enable Micrel to increase its reach throughout Asia-Pacific.\"

\"Micrel continues its expansion in Asia with the opening of this new branch office which includes a new Analog IC Design Center & Test Center in Hong Kong. The new design center follows the opening of Micrel\'s rapidly expanding Design & Test Center in Shanghai just two years ago, and supports Micrel\'s on-going strategy of increasing its international product development capability in close proximity to customers, particularly in the rapidly growing China IC market,\" stated David Schie, Vice President of Micrel\'s Analog Business Unit/Engineering and R&D. \"Micrel expects to continue growing its new design center and is actively looking to hire experienced engineering candidates, especially those with DC/DC and power management experience.\"