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SOUTHAMPTON, Pa: March 4, 2004 - Environmental Tectonics Corporation (AMEX: ETC) continues to consolidate its position as the premier supplier of environmental test equipment in the US. ETC was recently awarded a contract to supply the environmental chamber for a 4-post 'Squeak and Rattle' test facility to simulate actual road testing in a variety of weather conditions. ETC will be working closely with MTS Systems Corporation (NASDAQ: MTSC) to provide this test facility to the end user who is a long-standing ETC customer and a major award-winning international car manufacturer. Environmental Chambers of this nature, normally in the range of $400,000, are becoming more common as R&D departments become increasingly more sophisticated in their simulation of the real world and as companies become more aware of the warranty costs associated with these problems.
The overall test facility is intended to excite a vehicle by moving each wheel independently which simulates the inputs to the suspension that the vehicle would normally see on the road. This allows the manufacturer to examine form and fit of bodywork and other components during development work to reduce any irritating noise in the production vehicle. Such form and fit is also strongly dependent on the ambient temperature. The environmental chamber supplied by ETC will provide the ability to conduct such tests at different temperatures. The chamber includes a number of special features. It will be designed with a unique adjustable sealing system around the actuators to allow testing of an extended range of vehicles with different wheelbases and tracks. The system also includes an inspection trench underneath the vehicle that allows engineers the ability to examine the vehicle being tested while maintaining the environmental conditions in the chamber. Because the chamber will be used for NVH (Noise Vibration and Harshness) testing, ETC will also be installing sound panels and window blinds within the chamber. Tom Ringo, head of the ETC Detroit automotive office, said: "We were awarded this project because of our highly experienced engineers who are intimately familiar with these test chambers and have built a number of them in the past. We will be instigating innovative designs along with proven technology in this project. At the same time we will be working closely with MTS to ensure that the end user is given what they want when they want it. Having the right people in the right place ensures this". Haroon Haider, Business Unit Manager for the Test and Simulation Systems Group, said: "This is another project that underlines our reputation for providing cost- effective state-of-the-art test facilities that fully satisfy the exacting requirements of our customers. With our office in Detroit, no-one can rival the service and support that ETC can provide to our customers in this geographic area." ETC designs, develops, installs and maintains aircrew training systems, public entertainment systems, process simulation systems (sterilization and environmental), clinical hyperbaric systems, environmental testing and simulation systems, and related products for domestic and international customers. The environmental test and simulation division builds test facilities for simulating, repeating and controlling climatic conditions for the automotive, HVAC and other industries. MTS Systems Corporation is a global supplier of testing products that help customers accelerate and improve their design, development, and manufacturing processes. MTS products are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products, and structures and include computer-based testing and simulation systems, modeling and testing software, and consulting services. The Company is also a leading manufacturer of industrial position sensors. MTS had 1,630 employees and revenue of $340 million for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2003. Additional information on MTS can be found on the worldwide web at http://www.mts.com. This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any other future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "will", "could", "would", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "continue", or the negative of such terms or similar expressions. Factors that may cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, contract cancellations, failure to obtain new contracts, political unrest in customer countries, unfavourable results in litigation, general economic conditions, and those issues identified from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings and other public documents, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2003. |
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