Clarity Announces Move of Headquarters

New Energy-Efficient Facility to Provide State-of-the-Art Acoustic Lab for Leading Chattanooga Tech Company


CHATTANOOGA, TN--(Marketwire - Sep 1, 2011) - Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) that creates smart communication solutions for seniors, today announced that the company is moving its headquarters to 6131 Preservation Drive, Chattanooga, TN. Clarity has purchased a new facility, which will expand the capabilities of the company's marketing, sales and customer service departments as well as house a state-of-the-art acoustic lab.

Clarity is moving from Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga, where the company's operations have been based since August of 2000. Nearly fifty employees will be based in the new headquarters, which include Clarity's engineering, marketing, sales, operations and customer service departments.

"Clarity has and continues to be a proud resident of Chattanooga," said Carsten Trads, president of Clarity. "Our city has a thriving tech sector that has allowed us to recruit some of the best and brightest minds, which has enabled our company to become the leading provider of amplified telephones in the U.S. Our new facility will further expand our capabilities and support our evolving product lines."

Clarity's new acoustic lab will be equipped with a high-tech, acoustic measurement chamber that has been professionally engineered to isolate measurements from all types of environmental noise and interference. The new chamber will enable Clarity's engineering team to make precise measurements of not only telephone handsets but speakerphones as well to ensure the company's products are addressing all levels of hearing loss. The acoustic lab will be also equipped with a head and torso simulator (HATS) that accurately models the human head and ear to best measure the human experience customers have with Clarity products. As the amplified phone industry transitions to HATS-based measuring standards, Clarity will be well positioned to design and deliver products which meet ever tighter standards of performance.

"We are proud to have pioneered many firsts in our industry, such as digital sound processing and remote-access customer service," said David Lashley, Clarity's vice president of research and development. "Our new lab is further evidence of our commitment to improving the lives of seniors. Our products now address multiple physical and emotional concerns people have as they age, and our new Clarity headquarters will be the home where seniors find innovation for their needs."

The building will also feature green technology, including solar panels that will reduce greenhouse emissions by 898 tons of C02 over 25 years, equivalent to planting nearly 36,000 trees. As a result, Clarity is projected to save 32% in electricity every month. The facility will be also ADA compliant. Construction Consultants, a full service design and build firm based in Chattanooga, TN completed the renovations.

All conference rooms and work stations will be Lync Online accessible as Clarity moves to unified communication solutions across the entire workplace that will enable its employees to receive one message across different mediums.

Clarity's products are distributed nationwide through major retail stores, state disability programs, special needs distributors and audiologists. For more information on Clarity and its product line, visit www.clarityproducts.com.

About Clarity -- Smart for Seniors ™
Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), creates smart communication solutions that help seniors live richer, more engaged lives. For more than 40 years, Clarity's innovative products -- such as amplified telephones, notification systems and assistive listening devices -- have helped people with hearing loss, low vision, limited mobility, dexterity issues and other health challenges. Clarity has pioneered many firsts -- from digital sound processing in 2005 to remote-access customer service in 2010. Millions rely on Clarity to communicate at home, at work and throughout their lives. For more information, please visit www.clarityproducts.com or call 1-800-426-3738.