February 01, 2001 11:57
Platforms Wireless Announces Strategic Partnership Contract
With Worldwide AEROS Corp.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Platforms Wireless International Corporation, (OTC:
PLFM), the developer of the revolutionary Airborne Relay Communications "ARC System" for
wireless voice and data communications, announced today it has entered into a Strategic
Partnership Contract with Worldwide AEROS Corp., one of the world's leading manufacturers
of lighter-than-air ("LTA") aircraft.
Under the terms of the Strategic Partnership Contract, AEROS will manufacture, integrate,
deliver, and operate the ARC System Aerostat Host Infrastructure that will carry the ARC
System Airborne Communications Payload in the AMERICEL System demonstration
scheduled to take place in Brazil in the second quarter of 2001.
William C. Martin, Platforms Chairman and CEO stated: "We are very pleased to welcome
Worldwide AEROS Corporation to the ARC System team. The significant Agreement we
have structured with AEROS completes the final, critical product element of the ARC
System: the airborne host infrastructure that carries the ARC System wireless
communications payload.
Francois Draper, Platforms Chief Operations and Technical Officer stated: "We selected
AEROS after a comprehensive review and evaluation of industry alternatives. Our conclusion
is that AEROS' efficient use of the latest scientific achievements and manufacturing
techniques in the LTA industry enable them to deliver one of the most advanced and
cost-effective aerostat platforms on the market.
"Furthermore," continued Mr. Draper, "AEROS' helpful and cooperative attitude, and their
willingness to work with us as a technology partner, assured them a place on the ARC
System team. We're delighted to have them on board."
Worldwide AEROS Corporation, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is one of the
world's leading producers of lighter-than-air vehicles. AEROS has more than 20 years of LTA
aircraft manufacturing experience, and it has designed and constructed numerous airship
platforms, as well as pioneered many of the most recent breakthroughs in lighter-than-air
aircraft technology.
Mr. Igor Pasternak, AEROS President & CEO stated: "We are very pleased to join the
Platforms ARC System team. Our 20 years of experience in the LTA industry qualifies us
well to make a significant contribution to the ARC System project. We look forward to the
challenges ahead and to helping Platforms deploy the ARC System around the world."
Mr. Fred Edworthy, AEROS Vice President and General Manager stated: "The ARC System
project is already under way. Once we arrived at a basic agreement with Platforms, we
launched the project and began formalizing designs and ordering long-lead parts. This is an
exciting project, and we're committing the resources necessary to help make it a major
success."
"Under the terms of the Strategic Partnership Contract, which includes favorable financing
terms," Mr. Martin explained, "AEROS will work with Platforms, Composite Optics, and
AMERICEL, under an exclusive telecommunications service agreement, to optimize the
design, cost-effectiveness, and structural reliability and performance efficiency of the ARC
System LTA AeroStructure. Following quality assurance tests in the U.S.A.," Mr. Martin
concluded, "AEROS will deliver the AeroStructure to Brazil, integrate and assemble the
aerostat, and operate it throughout the ARC System demonstration tests."
About Worldwide AEROS Corporation
AEROS is one of the world's leading lighter-than-air, FAA-certified aircraft manufacturing
companies. The company's operations involve research, development, and marketing of a
wide variety of airships. These include rigid airships, commercial non-rigid airships, and
advanced manned and unmanned tethered aerostatic systems. The airships are available for
utilization in a variety of civil and military missions. AEROS recently successfully completed
the FAA Type Certification of its 4-passenger, 40B multi-commercial use airship, and FAA
applications are filed for its 30 to 50 passenger ML Transport Airship to serve the upscale
international tourist market, as well as inner-city transportation. AEROS offers a
state-of-the-art family of commercial airships designed to meet a broad spectrum of
requirements for domestic and foreign clients, primarily suited to environmental monitoring,
surveillance, advertising, tourism, and transportation. AEROS has affiliates in eight European
and Asian countries, and the company's industry-leading expertise is based on more than 20
years of operations and research in lighter-than-air technologies. AEROS can be found on
the Web at www.aeros-airships.com .
About Platforms Wireless International Corporation
Platforms Wireless International Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is the
developer and marketer of the revolutionary wireless communications technology known as
the Airborne Relay Communications "ARC" System, and its family of Airborne, LTA host
infrastructures, the ZerOGravity AeroStructures(R). Management believes that these
significant advances in the field of Airborne wireless communications technology, together
with continuing technology improvements and new developments, will provide an efficient,
cost-effective, all-broadband, voice and data communications alternative for augmenting,
replacing, and supplementing terrestrial wire-line and cellular telecommunications
infrastructures, as well as high and low-earth orbiting satellites -- at a savings in both cost
and deployment time, as compared to conventional systems. Platforms' first ARC System
Conditional Contract is with AMERICEL, S.A., one of the leading cellular telecommunications
service providers in Brazil. Platforms can be found on the Web, at: www.plfm.net . Those
interested in receiving e-mails of future press releases should contact
plfm@focuspartners.com .
Safe Harbor Act Disclaimer
Forward-Looking Statements -- The statements contained in this Press Release, which are
not historical facts, are "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Rule 175 under
the Securities Act of 1933, and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and such statements qualify
for the Safe Harbor protection afforded under such Acts. Forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of forward-looking words, such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will,"
"should," "anticipates," or the negative thereof, or other variations thereof, or comparable
words, or by statements related to future plans, strategies, or other business development
activities that involve risks and uncertainties. Management cautions the reader that
"forward-looking statements" including, without limitation, statements regarding Platforms
technology, products, marketing plans and strategies, markets for its products and services,
and expected, projected results of operations, are all predictions, expectations, and
anticipations. No assurances can be given that such predictions, expectations, and
anticipations will prove accurate and correct, or that anticipated, projected future results will
be achieved. Numerous risk factors can cause actual results to vary materially from the
future results indicated, expressed, or implied in forward-looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to Platforms' ability to successfully market its
products and services to new customers; the Company's ability to obtain necessary
financing to support corporate operations and finance the acquisition of test equipment and
systems; the Company's ability to obtain required permits, licenses, and authorizations in a
timely manner; the Company's performance of a successful ARC System Demonstration in
Brazil; the ability of Service Providers to successfully market ARC System wireless
communications services to subscribers; the ARC System's capability to cost-effectively and
profitably penetrate higher-cost, rural area markets; and the unknown impact of probable
entry into the market by larger, better capitalized competitors. Therefore, there can be no
assurance that the information indicated, expressed, or implied in the forward-looking
statements contained in this Press Release will prove to be accurate or correct, and future
events and actual results could differ materially from those indicated, expressed, or implied in
these forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Platforms Wireless International Corporation
/CONTACT: Brad Meyer or Harvey Goralnick, 212-752-9445, or
Susan Bolen, 914-238-3162, all of FOCUS Partners, plfm@focuspartners.com, for
Platforms Wireless International Corporation/
/Web site: aeros-airships.com
plfm.net
(PLFM) |
