October 17, 2005

Valued Customers,

Since taking the first steps to comply with the RoHS Directive, Fair-Rite Products has maintained that it would continue to supply products with tin/lead termination as long as possible.

We have recently re-evaluated our position with regards to our "multi-layer chip" devices with tin/lead plating. This is due to a contamination problem, which continues to occur in the plating tanks when switching between the dominantly higher volume line of lead-free plated cores, and the low volume tin/lead plated products.

There is not a sufficient volume to justify separate equipment, and so effectively immediately, Fair-Rite Products will discontinue sales of multi-layer chip products with tin/lead termination. This decision affects the 25-product class Chip Beads and the 22- product class Chip Inductor part numbers ending with an L suffix.

We will continue filling existing orders until our current inventory of parts with tin/lead finish is depleted. At that point, we will regrettably be unable to take new orders for these parts.

Our present plans are to continue supplying tin/lead plating on all other board level components. They include the product families beginning with 27 and 29, and include Bead-on-leads, SM Beads, PC Beads and Wound Beads.

We sincerely regret any inconvenience this turn of events may cause.

Sincerely, Frank Babic
Product Manager
Board Level / Cable EMI Components
Fair Rite Products
Ph: 704-289-7030
Fax: 704-292-7899
babicf@fair-rite.com

For More Information Contact:

Fair-Rite Products Corp.
PO Box J, 1 Commercial Row, Wallkill, NY 12589
Phone: (888) FAIRRITE (324-7748)
FAX:   (888) FERRITE  (337-7483)
e-mail: rohs@fair-rite.com