EL SEGUNDO, CA, September 1998 - International Rectifier Corporation (IRF/NYSE) announced today that it will build near Swansea, Wales an assembly plant to meet demand for its proprietary motion and power control modules.

"We have substantial contracts in hand from major industrial and automotive customers, and to date our shippable backlog for these leading-edge modules stands at about $200 million through 2003," noted Ivo Jurek, Vice President, Electronic Motion Systems. "We believe this plant will allow us to meet fast-growing demand for International Rectifier's highest value-added products."

The plant, located on 20 acres in an industrial park near Swansea Wales, will be designed to generate approximately $300 million of annual revenue at full capacity. Total investment for plant and equipment over five years will be approximately $40 million. A 90,000 square foot assembly plant is being built by the Welsh Development Office with support from the City and County of Swansea.

"The potential return on investment for this operation is excellent," added Mr. Jurek, "and the site offers a skilled and motivated labor pool, highly-developed infrastructure, proximity to our customers and our existing plant in Great Britain, and access to excellent institutions of higher education."

The facility will assemble semiconductors and related components into proprietary Motor Control modules that improve product performance and energy efficiency in a range of fast-growing industrial, appliance, and automotive applications. The plant is expected to employ approximately 500 people at full capacity. Ground-breaking is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 1998, and IR expects to occupy the plant by mid-summer 1999.

International Rectifier's power and Motor Control modules help customers get to market quickly with highly competitive end products. The modules form an important part of the company's broad initiative to develop and market value-added, proprietary products that lengthen its competitive lead and increase its return on investment.

International Rectifier is a major worldwide supplier of components and subsystems that convert electrical power to operate power supplies, motor drives, and lighting ballasts. Its patented HEXFET® power MOSFETs and IGBTs make IR the world leader in field effect transistors. IR's technological advances improve the performance and energy efficiency of electronic and electrical equipment in automotive, consumer, computer/peripheral, industrial, lighting, telecom, and government/space applications.

This press release contains some forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to a number of uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. Factors that could affect the Company's actual results include but are not limited to push-out of delivery dates, market and sector conditions that affect our customers, acceptance of competitors' products, introduction and acceptance of new products, general economic conditions in the Company's markets around the world, and other uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

International Rectifier's Manufacturing Facilities