ARM Builds Microprocessor Cores With Artisan IP; ARM Adopts Artisan Libraries as a Reference for Synthesizable IP

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2003--Artisan Components, Inc., (Nasdaq: ARTI), a leading provider of physical intellectual property (IP) today announced that Artisan libraries will be used by ARM as a reference for its synthesizable IP. Additionally, ARM will gain access to a broad range of Artisan IP for the development of the ARM(R) microprocessor cores.

Developers will have access to front-end views of Artisan libraries as a reference library to use with all of ARM's synthesizable cores, enabling developers to validate the RTL delivered by ARM and accelerate the design process. As part of this offering, Artisan libraries will be the basis for ARM reference specifications for performance, area and power. Artisan will also gain access to the RTL for a range of ARM cores for internal library development to enable optimization of cell libraries and real world benchmarking of library performance in actual ARM cores.Additionally, ARM has licensed Artisan's SAGE-HS(TM) High Speed Standard Cell Library to implement hard microprocessor cores.

"Broadening our relationship with Artisan to access their extensive range of IP across multiple foundries and technologies provides us with operational efficiencies and helps accelerate time-to-market for our Partners," said John Goodenough, Design Methodology Manager for ARM.

"Working with an industry leader like ARM on complex RISC microprocessors is a great opportunity to provide solutions to real world design challenges on the industry's most widely used embedded microprocessor core," said Neal Carney, Artisan's vice president of marketing. "Collaborations of this type are essential to providing our mutual customers with timely IP solutions addressing today's very complex system-on-chip (SoC) requirements."

About Artisan Components
Artisan Components, Inc. is a leading provider of physical intellectual property (IP) components for the design and manufacture of complex system-on-a-chip integrated circuits. Artisan's products include embedded memory, standard cell, input/output, analog and mixed-signal components, which are designed to achieve the best combination of performance, density, power and yield for a given manufacturing process. Artisan has licensed its IP components to over 1,000 companies involved in integrated circuit design. Artisan is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. More information about Artisan Components, including free library access, can be found at http://www.artisan.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, that ARM intends to build microprocessor cores using Artisan's IP library products. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, whether there will be technical or other difficulties that delay or prevent the availability of ARM cores that use Artisan's IP library products, and market acceptance of the ARM cores that incorporate Artisan's IP library products. Actual results may differ materially. We refer you also to the documents that Artisan files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in particular the section entitled "Factors Affecting Future Operating Results" in Artisan's annual report on Form 10-K and its quarterly reports on Forms 10-Q. Artisan disclaims any obligation to update or correct the information contained in this press release as a result of financial, business or any other developments occurring after the date of the release.

Artisan Components and Artisan are registered trademarks and SAGE-HS is a trademark of Artisan Components, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. "ARM" is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (LSE: ARM and Nasdaq: ARMHY); its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC.; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd.; ARM Taiwan; ARM France SAS; ARM Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.; and ARM Belgium N.V.