LINKOPING, Sweden, June 13, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The criteria for offset agreements in connection with the procurement of new interceptor aircraft are clearly defined in the Request for Proposals of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Labour in Austria:
"2. Basic goals. Technology transfer. Investments furthering education and job qualification. Establishment of businesses and direct investments in Austria. Safeguarding and improving the employment situation. Regional distribution. Strong and lasting supply relationships. Opening up of new markets for existing companies and products. Consideration of the predominance in the Austrian economic structure of small and middle-sized businesses"
The Gripen Team fully meets these requirements. The following list includes ten examples from more than 110 projects in our Industrial Cooperation Program to prove this:
Project Partner Description
Information and Frequentis As the result of very
Communications Nachrichtentech intense cooperation with
Technology nik GmbH AerotechTelub, a company
of the Saab Group, the
Austrian high-tech
company Frequentis
Nachrichtentechnik GmbH
was able to obtain orders
to supply voice
communication systems
(VCS) to the Linkoping
(Sweden) airport. This
contract opens up
numerous other
possibilities for the
showpiece Austrian
company Frequentis - the
worldwide market leader
in the critical security
area of communications
and information systems -
to provide equipment for
other airports.
On 17 January 2002, in
addition to the contract
with Linkoping, a
Memorandum of Agreement
(MoA) was also signed
between Frequentis and
AerotechTelub. Within the
framework of this
cooperation, in the
future AerotechTelub will
not only serve as the
supplier, but will also
support the marketing of
Frequentis airport
products in Sweden and
other Gripen markets.
Life Sciences Meteka GmbH Meteka GmbH in Judenburg
develops, produces and
sells a wide range of
products for the safe and
environmentally friendly
collection, disinfection
and disposal of
infectious waste
materials in the medical
field. This family-owned
company is increasingly
concentrating on foreign
markets as well as the
Austrian one. In order to
be successful
internationally, one must
be able to fall back on a
network of local
contacts. The Gripen Team
can provide optimal
support in this.
Automotive Automobilcluster With its partners,
Automobil-Cluster (AC) in
Upper Austria continually
develops new product
improvements for
vehicles. Access to
international car
manufacturers is thus
essential. The Gripen
Team supports AC on an
ongoing basis - for
example, at Scania, where
a significant improvement
process could be
introduced, thanks to the
demonstration of
innovative solutions for
parts and modules.
Additional steps will
follow this first one and
will give the economy of
Upper Austria new
momentum.
Research and active Along with active
Development photonics photonics in Villach, the
Gripen Team is working on
the development of a
compact infrared camera,
to be mounted on a
helmet, which is planned
for future use in
firefighting, personal
protection and the
rescuing of accident
victims. The first
prototypes have already
been tested. A completely
new, highly intelligent
product is emerging that
will later be exported to
neighbouring countries
and also create new jobs
in Villach.
Research and Life Optics(R) Life Optics(R), global
Development technology leader in the
area of advanced
headmounted vision
systems, is the producer
of the first mobile,
binocular, close-up
telescopic vision system
for surgeons with
variable enlargement,
automatic focus and
automatic parallax
compensation. The
Varioscope(R) is a
combination of applied
high-tech optics and the
most advanced
electronics. Cooperation
with the Gripen Team
should enable the
Austrian company to enter
the Scandinavian market
very quickly. In
addition, joint work is
in progress to achieve a
prompt launch of the
industrial version of the
Varioscope(R), which will
further R&D efforts in
micromanufacturing.
Life Sciences VBC-Genomics VBC-Genomics Bioscience
Bioscience Research GmbH is a young
Research GmbH Austrian biotech company
that, in addition to
providing services such
as DNA sequencing and
oligonucleotide
synthesis, has
specialised in the
development of molecular
diagnostics. Its
FemSensor(R), a SNP
detection chip for the
mutation analysis of
relevant genes in female
estrogens balance, is
already on the market in
Germany, Austria and
Switzerland. Later this
year the SAC(R)
(immunological solidphase
allergen chip), a protein
chip for the diagnosis of
Type 1 allergic immune
reactions, will be
launched. Along with VBC-
Genomics, the Gripen Team
will support and promote
its services and products
in Great Britain and
Sweden.
Environment AGS GmbH In cooperation with the
AGS GmbH in Graz and the
Foree Oil Company from
the USA, the Gripen Team
is researching the
potential of extracting
methane gas from coal
mines - for example in
Fohnsdorf. The future
usefulness of this
project lies, on the one
hand, in utilising
domestic gas supplies -
thus reducing import
needs - and, on the
other, in contributing to
environmental protection
by reducing possible
methane gas emissions.
The project is bringing
research and development,
as well as investments,
into the region and is
also creating jobs in
Styria.
Research and JOANNEUM JOANNEUM RESEARCH
Development RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft
mbH, Austria's biggest
R&D facility owned by a
province, is active in
the area of applied
research and development
for business, industry
and management. Thanks to
the support of Gripen
International,
cooperation with the
Royal Institute of
Technology in Stockholm
is being realised. As
part of this process,
both organisations are
presently preparing a
cooperative proposal for
an EU project. The Gripen
Team has made necessary
know-how available to its
partners.
Research and Vienna This medical research
Development University of project brings scientists
Technology from Sweden and from the
Vienna University of
Technology together. The
objective of this joint
project of the Institute
for Microtechnique and
Precision Engineering in
Austria and several
Swedish Universities is
to develop innovative
medical devices among
others for eye surgery.
Automotive Alulight Gripen International is
International working with the Upper
GmbH Austrian company Alulight
on promoting the use of
aluminium foam in the
automotive industry.
Further information is available from: Owe Wagermark, Senior Vice President Communications, Gripen International Phone: +46 13 18 4014 Mobile: +46 70 889 60 00 Fax: +46 13 18 0055 owe.wagermark@gripen.com Marie Akto, Communications Manager, Gripen International Phone: +46 13 18 4216 Mobile: +46 70 989 71 10 marie.akto@gripen.com
Dr. Manfred Waldenmair, PR Consultant for Austriabe.public Werbung Finanzkommunikation GmbHphone: +43 1 503 2 503waldenmair@bepublic.atwww.gripen.at
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