ACE Engages Demers Beaulne as Successor AuditACE Engages Demers Beaulne as Successor Auditor; Halt Trade Remains In Effect
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Sept. 21, 2005) - Ace/Security Laminates
Corporation(TM) (TSX VENTURE:ASL) is pleased to announce that its Board of
Directors, acting on the recommendation of its Audit Committee, has appointed
Demers Beaulne as the company's successor auditor. The company's former
auditor, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP, resigned in May of this year. The
audit committee of the Board of Directors has full confidence in Demers Beaulne
and is looking forward to moving ACE's business forward with the assistance of
the new auditors.
The company's stock was halted by the TSX Venture Exchange on September 2,
2005. As previously described in press releases dated June 14, 2005 and August
16, 2005, ACE had given an undertaking to the TSX Venture Exchange that
external auditors would be in place by August 31, 2005. As ACE was still in the
final stages of engaging Demers Beaulne at that time, the TSX Venture Exchange
imposed a halt on trading.
Further to the ACE's press release of June 14, 2005, Deloitte and Touche LLP
has completed their special engagement of ACE's transactions with its major
supplier. The Company will dislcose the findings of this report in a separate
press release, which will be issued in the near future.
Concurrent with the TSX Venture Exchange review of the financial affairs of
ACE, the interim Chief Financial Officer of ACE along with the company's new
accounting staff are in the process of reviewing the books and records of ACE.
As previously disclosed in a press release dated August 31, 2005, the interim
Chief Financial Officer has found that (i) proper internal controls have been
inadequate; (ii) accounting and bookkeeping has been inadequate and led to
errors and inaccuracies; and (iii) analysis, documentation and support for
transactions has been weak. Further, the Company's accounting software is out
of date and is in the process of being replaced. Once the interim Chief
Financial Officer completes the review of the company's financial affairs, ACE
will determine whether any historical financial statements need be restated and
will make the appropriate disclosure to the TSX Venture Exchange and the market
if a restatement is required.
In the meantime, ACE is responding to and is fully committed to resolving the
concerns of the TSX Venture Exchange in order to ensure that there is full
disclosure of the company's financial affairs with a view to moving towards an
end to the halt trade. ACE has, throughout the period of the halt trade,
continued its normal business activities and intends to continue to run its
business in the normal course while the halt trade is in effect.
ACE/Security Laminates(TM) Corporation specializes in manufacturing and
distributing, through a worldwide network of dealers, safety and security
window laminating technology.
Since 1999, ACE has established a presence in 40 countries. ACE produces a
micro thin polyester laminate that, when applied to glass, protects against
baseball bats, crowbars, rocks, fire, Molotov cocktails, bombs, bullets and
natural disasters.
The advantages of ACE's products are found in their protective capabilities,
transparent finish, and simple application to existing windows. What makes
ACE's security laminates the obvious choice when protecting people and property
is the extensive third party testing they have undergone against threat levels
ranging from break and entry to bullets and bombs; demonstrating the product's
high-end performance.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
ACE/Security Laminates Corporation
Mr. Peter Fabian
President and Chief Executive Officer
(613) 237-0000
ir@usace.com
www.acesecuritylaminates.com
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility
for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
INDUSTRY: BLD - Building Materials
SUBJECT: PER - PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR: ACE/Security Laminates Corporation
TSX VENTURE SYMBOL: ASL