Micronas' consumer division which produces and sells video processors for digital TV sets as well as audio products has been the company's largest division for many years. After the market transition from CRT screens to flat screen designs, the division had lost market share over the past years and in addition it has been hit hard by the economy crisis. Earlier this year, the management has announced to draw the consequences from it and sell it or close it down.

Now it has found a buyer: Trident (Santa Clara, Calif.) will take over the business with frame rate converters, demodulators and audio products. The move will save about 80 jobs in Germany as well as about 100 jobs in the Netherlands and in Micronas' overseas subsidiaries.

Trident plans to pay for the acquisition with 7 million of its own shares. In addition, Micronas will receive warrants to buy up to 3 million shares of Trident's common stock. Upon closing, Micronas will own about 10 percent of Trident. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.

The closing of the bigger remaining parts of Micronas' consumer division will continue and is expected to be concluded by the end of the current year.