newsActive Control completes successful ActiveMine demos for major coal mine operators
TORONTO, Feb 24, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ --
Active Control Technology Inc. (TSX-V:ACT) today announced successful demonstrations of ActiveMine(TM), the premier wireless voice communications and locating system for mines, to two major US coal mining companies.
The demonstration tours were conducted at a West Virginia mine where ActiveMine has been in operation for several months. The prospective customers were particularly enthusiastic about the system's "best-in-class" voice communications quality. Active Control conducted the demonstrations in support of sales proposals under consideration by the two companies, which together own more than 25 coal mines in Appalachia, Illinois and Indiana.
In accordance with the MINER Act, all underground coal mine operators in the US must have specific provisions for wireless two-way communications and electronic tracking of miners as part of revised mine safety plans. The deadline to file the plans is June 15, 2009.
"The coal mining industry has focused on ActiveMine with renewed interest since MSHA approved the ActiveMine Node and System earlier this month. The feedback we are receiving from current and prospective customers validates our efforts to provide the best voice quality available to the mining industry," said Steve Barrett, President and CEO, Active Control. "We anticipate this capability, along with ActiveMine's network performance, will become even stronger through continuous improvement made possible by our new ActiveVision(TM) network operations centre."
Feedback from mine managers and miners indicates that excellent voice quality means excellent overall system quality. They have also found that this capability drives day-to-day productivity gains by facilitating the rapid deployment of people and equipment. Another key differentiator demonstrated to the two companies - the ability to connect seamlessly with public telephone networks - was very well received by their representatives.
ACT Adds Customer Prospects, Builds Profile at WV Coal Mining Event
Active Control also announced today that it added several mining companies as new customer prospects during an important coal mining industry event last week. ACT's presence at the West Virginia Coal Association Mining Symposium also provided an opportunity for the company to initiate new partnership discussions with other industry players.
The prospective new partnerships are with vendors offering applications that would leverage the ActiveMine broadband data network. This is made possible by ActiveMine's open standards wireless Wi-Fi network technology.
The event, held in Charleston, West Virginia, was attended by state and national leaders representing West Virginia along with numerous energy experts, regulatory officials and mining company representatives.
About ActiveMine
The ActiveMine communications, data and tracking system enables monitoring of production, personnel and equipment in all types of surface and underground mining environments, including coal and base metal mines. The system is designed to:
- Provide full duplex clear voice communications and tracking in one
system.
- Be easily expanded with "plug & play" installation as a mine grows.
- Easily add other applications like machinery monitoring, belt
monitoring, CO monitoring and streaming video.
- Operate on a 100 percent wireless Wi-Fi network backhaul capable of
transmitting high speed data and voice communications.
- Be less susceptible to water and mechanical damage of all sorts,
including rock fall.
- Use open-standards technology and support other Wi-Fi devices.
- Meet federal MINER Act requirements for wireless systems.
- Enable miners who become isolated underground to stay linked, even
when they are distant from one another and cut off from the outside
world - a capability made possible by the system's unique "Starfish
(TM)" feature.
- Provide a wireless communications and data network above-ground,
linked seamlessly to underground networks.
About Active Control Technology
ACT designs and markets wireless network control and communication systems for buildings and mining. Located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, the company trades publicly on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ACT. For more information, visit the company's website at www.activecontrol.com.
Get more out of your mine.(TM) The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such as changes in demand for and prices for the products of the Company or the materials required to produce those products, labour relations problems, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Active Control Technology Inc.
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