CALGARY, Alberta, Canada and TORONTO, March 20, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Carmina Technologies Inc. (OTCBB:CARL) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Assured Performance Monitoring Inc. (APM), and The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) have entered into an agreement to develop new tools for food inspection and quality assurance professionals. Under the terms of the agreement, Guelph will provide its food inspection and audit systems to APM, which will bring them onto its Assur technology platform designed for mobile workforces. Upon completion of the development work by APM, Guelph field auditors will utilize the technology and GFTC will earn royalties on the sale of the basic system to other inspection organizations or food processing companies.
According to Carmina president and chief executive officer John Alston, "Our collaboration with Guelph enables APM to enter a new vertical market for inspection monitoring services, with a partner that enjoys world renown for its expertise in training, technical and quality assurance services for the food industry. By working together, we can take the expertise Guelph has developed over the years, and through the application of our Assur technology, increase the efficiency with which inspection and monitoring information is gathered and distributed."
Alston said that, on a broader scale, the agreement is important because it enables Guelph, as well as other organizations, to offer greater assurance that food supply inspections are carried out with the highest possible degree of accuracy and precision. "The food supply is a potential point of entry for any terrorist threats against the homeland security of North American countries. This threat can be mitigated through more precise monitoring of food production and processing inspections."
According to Kathryn Cooper, Vice President of Market Development and Client Services, Guelph Food Technology Centre, "Our agreement with Assured Performance Monitoring is particularly important as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs are implemented throughout the food chain, from farm, through processors, into distribution, retail and foodservice." Cooper added, "We believe that applying new Internet-based communications technologies to the body of knowledge that Guelph has developed over the years is an important step toward ensuring the safety of food products throughout North America."
Matching Assur and Guelph
The Assur technology platform consists of readily available hand-held mobile computers and a multi-level bar-code system linked to centralized servers via a variety of wired and wireless technologies. By gathering data digitally at the point of inspection, information can be accessed readily on centralized servers from any location in the world that has Internet Access. In addition, the Assur server interface offers users a host of reports, and real-time analytics. Further, the hand held units are able to monitor a variety of variables at each inspection point including time of inspection, duration of inspection and time between inspection points giving supervisors better information about the performance of field inspectors.
Under the agreement between the two companies, Carmina's APM unit will develop software, which imbeds the proprietary and industry-specific protocols of Guelph's AudiTech system into hand-held, mobile computers. Guelph auditors will utilize the system to conduct paperless audits of their clients.
According to Frank Schreurs, Manager of HACCP and Audit Services at GFTC, "The auditing of a large food processing facility is a rigorous and challenging process. We believe that automating it with hand-held computers and accompanying software will increase efficiency, increase compliance with audit standards, increase the quality of audit information, and decrease the time between inspection and reporting."
"Perhaps more importantly," Schreurs said, "we believe an electronic format for reporting will enable clients to inventory their audit records more easily and spot trend data over time."
A Modern Classic
Carmina's Alston said the partnership with Guelph typifies the Carmina business model. "Although there is a world of opportunity for the Assur technology platform, we believe the best way to develop industry specific solutions is in partnership with respected industry players. This investment in relationships on the front end, we feel, increases product acceptance and the speed of product absorption on the back end."
Alston added, "We feel that more efficient monitoring and inspection of agriculture, food processing and food services is vital at this time. Not only are consumers at risk, but so too are the brands behind them. Companies with millions, and sometimes billions invested in brand equity can see their investment vanish at the hands of microscopic impurities in the food supply. With the Assur technology platform, we can help guard against this unfortunate occurrence."
About Carmina Technologies
Carmina Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:CARL) has developed and markets the Assur Family of products. These easy-to-use tools assure consistent, standards-driven monitoring of and reporting by mobile work forces. Currently, Carmina Technologies services the Pest Control and Food Safety & Health industries. Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Company has offices in Toronto and Vancouver.
For media and press inquiries, please contact Barrie Richardson (brichardson@apm-services.com) at 416-410-6114, ext. 412, or Jim Maloney (jim@gregoryfca.com) at 610-642-8253.
For analyst and investor inquiries, please contact John Alston (john@carminatech.com) at 800-793-8370, ext. 1, or Mary Borneman (mary@gregoryfca.com) at 610-642-8253.
The Guelph Food Technology Centre is Canada's largest food safety training, auditing and consulting group. GFTC provides creative, confidential Technical Solutions, Quality Systems and Training to the Canadian agri-food industry. Each year, the Centre assists over 500 companies and organizations, and provides training to more than 3600 people. The Centre is a not-for-profit, non-subsidized organization on the campus of the University of Guelph.
Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
This announcement contains "forward-looking statements." Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" and other similar expressions as they relate to the Company and its management are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although the Company and its management believe that the statements contained in this announcement are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such statements will prove correct. Factors that could affect the occurrence of events or results discussed herein are included with those mentioned in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.