it's looking better all the time! where are the regulars on this board?
Gilbarco Moves Ahead With FiberChem Sensor
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 1998--FiberChem Inc. (OTC BB:FOCS), through its wholly owned subsidiary FCI Environmental Inc. (FCI), and Gilbarco Inc. (Greensboro, N.C.), jointly announced successful completion of in-house testing of a hydrocarbon sensor that uses FCI's Sensor-on-a-Chip technology to detect the presence of ORVR equipped vehicles.
FCI and Gilbarco signed a Commercial Agreement for Hydrocarbon Sensor ORVR Certification in April of this year. The Agreement was based on use of FCI's sensor technology developed in conjunction with Texas Instruments Inc.
Since that time, Gilbarco has continued developing additional functionality for its VaporVac Stage II vapor recovery system to meet proposed requirements of the California Air Resources Board for compatibility with ORVR (On-board Refueling Vapor Recovery) vehicles.
At least 40 percent of 1998 model-year cars were equipped with these on-board devices. All cars will be so equipped after a 3-year phase-in period, followed by light trucks.
Craig Hartsell, manager, product development for Gilbarco, said: "We installed the FCI sensor in a number of test devices and found they meet our environmental and performance expectations. Tests were run under a variety of conditions, both indoors and outdoors. We are progressing to field tests and plan to have FCI sensors installed and operating at service stations near our manufacturing facility within the next three weeks."
Geoff Hewitt, chief executive officer of FCI, said, "The relevant proposed regulations remain fundamentally unchanged well into the adoption process, and continue to be consistent with the use of hydrocarbon sensing to achieve compatibility between ORVR vehicles and the assist type Stage II vapor recovery systems supplied by the major gasoline pump manufacturers such as Gilbarco.
"According to some industry estimates, about 80 percent of the vapor recovery systems installed as a result of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 would be candidates for using our HC sensor technology to achieve ORVR compatibility. Of the 185,000 retail gas stations in the U.S.A., about 40 percent to 45 percent are in ozone non-attainment areas.
"It is anticipated that two sensors will be required for each new or retrofitted assist type dispenser. Through our relationship with Gilbarco, we get access to not only their market, but also to those of their licensees, which represent most of the rest of the dispenser manufacturers," Hewitt continued.
Note to Editors: FiberChem Inc. develops, manufactures, markets and licenses fiber optic chemical sensors (FOCS) that produce continuous, real-time information on environmental pollutants in the air, water and soil.
This news release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including the timely development and acceptance of new products, final promulgation and enforcement of regulations, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the timely funding of customers' projects, customer payments to the company and the other risks detailed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission reports.
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