ELON kicking butt with help from Fuji Electric deal, Japan's largest provider of control systems.
Fuji Electric Announces Broad Commitment to Echelon's LonWorks Platform
Fuji To Become LonWorks Integrator and Training Center, Add LonWorks Sales Force
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2002--At a joint press conference today, Fuji Electric (TSE:6504) announced a number of initiative designed to expand the use of Echelon Corporation's (NASDAQ: ELON - news) LonWorks® system within the Japanese market and the Fuji Electric Group. Fuji Electric, a member of the Furukawa Group and parent company of Fujitsu Ltd., is Japan's largest provider of control systems. In addition to developing LonWorks based products, Fuji announced that it will join Echelon's Open Systems Alliance program and become an integrator of open LonWorks networks, that it will become an authorized Echelon training center, and that it will add a dedicated LonWorks sales organization for sales within the Fuji Group, to other OEMs, and to network integrators. Additionally, Fuji announced its intent to expand its role in the LonMark® Interoperability Association from a partner member to sponsor member. As a LonMark sponsor, Fuji will become part of the organizations board. In total, Fuji expects to invest more than $4 million and have more than 200 engineers and sales people dedicated to LonWorks related projects during its 2002 fiscal year.
``Today we are announcing a major initiative to offer our customers solutions that will integrate their control systems and their ERP, SCM, CRM, or other IT systems, which we believe today more than ever, are essential tools that companies need to remain efficient and competitive,'' said Mr. Haruo Ito, Fuji Electric's director president of Energy and Electric Systems Company. ``Because of its openness, versatility, and cost-effectiveness, we have selected Echelon's LonWorks platform as the basis for our offerings. With this total solution, we will lead the Japanese manufacturing industry, increase competitiveness, and bring the entire industry to a new level. We are very pleased that Echelon could join with us today as we announce this exciting new initiative and our expanded relationship with Echelon.''
``Like Fuji Electric, we have long believed that open networks of everyday devices, seamlessly integrated with IT systems, can help companies save cost, increase quality and improve efficiency and customer service,'' said Ken Oshman Echelon's chairman and CEO. ``We are pleased to be here with Fuji as they announce their plans and commit their resources to turn this vision into reality. With their market strength, LonWorks technical, marketing, and sales resources, and world class development, integration, and manufacturing capabilities, Fuji Electric is truly capable of revolutionizing their industry.''
Fuji Electric currently has a portfolio of over 20 LonWorks based products for energy management, facility control, and factory automation applications including inverters, PLCs, and breakers. Its largest LonWorks installation is at 7-Eleven, which has installed Fuji's LonWorks based Power Control units in over 9,400 stores throughout Japan to provide refrigerator and freezer control and energy management.
About Fuji Electric
Established in 1923, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. has been pioneering technologies that contribute to the prosperity of customers and society for almost 80 years. In the 21st century, Fuji Electric is aiming to provide customers with the highest possible levels of satisfaction, reinforcing core areas such as power semiconductor devices and other power electronic products, low-voltage circuit breakers and switches, systems businesses such as water treatment systems, and vending machines.
Fuji Electric is concentrating resources on four primary growth areas: environment, information systems, services and components. Through flexible and dynamic management, Fuji Electric intends to drive renewed growth across its businesses in line with a unified management vision. Further information regarding Fuji Electric can be found at fujielectric.co.jp.
About Echelon Corporation
Echelon Corporation is the creator of the LonWorks platform, the world's most widely used standard for connecting everyday devices such as appliances, thermostats, air conditioners, electric meters, and lighting systems to each other and to the Internet. Echelon's hardware and software products enable manufacturers and integrators to create smart devices and systems that lower cost, increase convenience, improve service, and enhance productivity, quality, and safety. Thousands of companies have developed and installed more than 16 million LonWorks based devices into homes, buildings, factories, trains, and other systems worldwide.
The protocol underlying LonWorks networks and the signaling used by Echelon's power line and free topology transceivers have both been adopted as standards by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Echelon is also a founding member of the LonMark Interoperability Association, an open industry forum of hundreds of leading manufacturers, integrators, and users dedicated to promoting the use of interoperable LonWorks devices. More information is available at lonmark.org. Further information regarding Echelon can be found at echelon.com.
Note to Editors: Echelon, LonWorks, LonMark, the LonMark logo, and the Echelon logo are trademarks of Echelon Corporation registered in the United States and other countries. i.LON, LNS, and Bringing the Internet to Life are trademarks of Echelon Corporation. Other marks belong to their respective holders.
This press release may contain statements relating to future plans, events or performance. Such statements may involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with products and services, risks that Fuji Electric and Echelon do not formalize a contract with respect to the relationship outlined in this press release, that Fuji Electric does not invest some or all of the funds in, or dedicate some or all of the engineers and sales people to, LonWorks related projects as presently contemplated; that the initiatives between Echelon and Fuji Electric do not successfully develop LonWorks based products; that LonWorks products and services are not accepted by Fuji Electric's customers; or that Echelon's products and services to do not perform as expected; as well as, other risks identified in Echelon's SEC filings. Actual results, effect on earnings, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Echelon undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. |
