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Archive 2005NovAtel Inc. GPS Receivers Deployed in China Port Container Terminals
( Calgary, Alberta, Canada, May 16, 2005) - NovAtel Inc. (NASDAQ: NGPS), a precise positioning technology company, announced today that its dealer, Beijing BDStar Navigation Co. Ltd., Beijing, China, completed deployment of NovAtel GPS-based systems for the Tianjin port Container Terminals (TCT), as per the terms of a contract awarded to BDStar in July 2004. NovAtel executives were on hand to present the Company’s leading edge technology at the commissioning ceremony for TCT held last month. BDStar is also in initial deployment for a number of other port authorities in China, including ShenZhen and Hong Kong. “This new contract, along with an additional contract to install receivers on port-specific heavy machinery, such as Rubber Tire Gantries (RTG’s) manufactured in China, builds on the number of customers worldwide using NovAtel for this demanding application. We believe our success rates in these ports will continue to expand our opportunities with other Port Authorities in China,” said Graham Purves, NovAtel’s VP Sales. “Port LBS (Location Based Service) business is a strategic focus for BDStar. We have integrated BDStar’s customized software services with NovAtel’s accurate and reliable GPS technology to create a strong product offering for this market. Add this to our increased efforts and resources directed towards the development of business in this application sector, and we believe we are poised to become a market leader,” said Ruxin Zhou, BDStar’s President. Under the TCT contract, NovAtel supplied ProPak-G2 dual frequency GPS receivers integrated with BDStar’s custom Geographic Information System (GIS) database software. These receivers are key in the efficient management and operation of automated container placement. GPS allows for the automation of the pick-up, transfer and placement process by tracking containers from port entry to exit. Utilizing patented Pulse Aperture Correlator (PAC) positioning technology, NovAtel’s ProPak receivers are used to locate containers and place them into planned positions before the next scheduled departure. With millions of container shipments being placed in port terminals annually, GPS technology can greatly reduce the number of lost or misdirected containers, improving safety of life conditions and reducing operating costs. “We implemented BDStar’s 3C2S (3C:Computer, Communication and Control; 2S:GPS and GIS) system three months ago and have already seen direct benefits to our business,” said LingSen Xue, TCT’s General Manager. “We have documented a 4-8% decrease in costs and a 5-10% increase in efficiency.” NovAtel’s ProPak-G2 with PAC technology significantly reduces the effects of multipath – the last significant remaining error factor in precise positioning. Multiple models are available to meet a variety of positioning requirements, including single and dual frequency, and optional support for Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) corrections from WAAS and EGNOS systems. About NovAtel Inc. NovAtel designs, markets and sells high-precision GPS and other positioning components and sub-systems used in a wide variety of commercial applications principally in the aviation, geomatics (surveying and mapping), mining, precision agriculture, marine and defence industries. NovAtel’s solutions combine hardware, such as receivers and antennas, with software to enable its customers to fully integrate the Company’s high-precision GPS technology into their respective products and systems. The Company is focused on supplying core high-precision positioning technology to OEMs and system integrators who build systems for various end market applications. For more information, visit www.novatel.com.
Certain statements in this news release, including those about the Company’s future partnership with BDStar, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on management’s current expectations regarding NovAtel’s future business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as ‘‘anticipate’’, ‘‘believe’’, ‘‘expect’’, ‘‘may’’, ‘‘could’’, ‘‘will’’, ‘‘potential’’, ‘‘intend’’, ‘‘estimate’’, ‘‘should’’, ‘‘plan’’, ‘‘predict’’ or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including certification and market acceptance of NovAtel’s new products, impact and timing of large orders, pricing pressures in the market and other competitive factors, maintaining technological leadership, and other factors described in our Form 20-F and other SEC filings, many of which are beyond the control of NovAtel. These factors should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and NovAtel assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. |
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