Product that combines GPS and wireless technologies is ideal for tracking valuable assets
Calgary, Alberta – June 11, 2004 – (TSX:CSY): Texas police have recovered more than US$2.7 million of stolen goods, and are poised to make several arrests and break up a Dallas-area truck theft ring, thanks to the effectiveness of Asset-Link™ asset-tracking hardware from CSI Wireless Inc.
“This technology is the wave of the future,” said Texas State Police Lieutenant Tim Stewart, who is currently assigned to the North Texas Auto Theft Task Force, which includes police officials from Dallas County, Denton County, Collin County and Ellis County.
Lt. Stewart and his colleagues borrowed Asset-Link units from San Antonio-based HeavyTrack and Holt Caterpillar for their task force operations. HeavyTrack, which specializes in anti-theft tracking services for heavy construction equipment, is a supplier to Holt Caterpillar, and has been buying asset-tracking products from CSI Wireless since 2000. HeavyTrack’s application program, back-end and Web interface are key components of the asset-tracking system supplied to the North Texas Auto Theft Task Force.
The task force obtained court orders authorizing police to install Asset-Link units on suspects’ vehicles. The units led police to several sites where they recovered stolen trucks, trailers and merchandise.
“We’ve recovered US$2.7 million worth of items so far, and the total keeps rising,” Lt. Stewart said. “We’ve recovered more than 24 truck tractors and 26 trailers, plus some cargo – including furniture, electronics, barbecues, clothing and ceiling fans – using the Asset-Link units.”
Truck and trailer thefts have become so rampant in the U.S. that Stewart said millions of dollars of vehicles and merchandise go missing each week, “including two or three loaded tractors just in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.”
Trucking companies that want to stop being victimized are telephoning Stewart to express their frustration and ask for advice. He encourages them to consider asset-tracking systems such as those available from CSI Wireless, HeavyTrack and Holt Caterpillar. “It’s the ideal way to monitor an asset’s movements.”
“CSI has developed and deployed more than 150,000 tracking units over the years, and assisted in the recovery of millions of dollars in vehicles and cargo, yet it is still hugely rewarding to see our tracking products used to thwart criminals and protect valuable assets," said Stephen Verhoeff, CSI Wireless’
President and CEO. "The North Texas Auto Theft Task Force is learning first-hand what CSI customers throughout the Americas already know – that the combination of wireless location and communications is a powerful, cost-effective tool for asset monitoring and protection.”
“Asset-Link is the perfect tracking device for our service offering because we can customize it to solve virtually any asset-tracking problem,” added HeavyTrack President Alan Day. He said the tracking system used by Texas police cost about US$500, plus from $16 a month in service fees – a bargain compared to the cost of what the thieves tried to steal.
CSI Wireless’ Asset-Link product line, featuring the company’s integrated GPS and wireless technology, includes an Aeris.net Microburst version that provides dependable, low-cost tracking and cellular coverage throughout North America. A separate version for the almost 200 countries where GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) is the standard wireless technology will be available later this year.
CSI Wireless also offers the FLT-LinkTM product line – designed exclusively for tracking trailers – including a solar-powered version that needn’t be linked to a truck’s electrical system to keep functioning.
Beyond stolen vehicle recovery, Asset-Link and FLT-Link are becoming popular tools for managing mobile assets more cost-efficiently. They enable customers to remotely:
• Monitor vehicles’ mechanical performance including engine running hours
• Log and analyze performance data, including temperature trends and fuel efficiency
• Perform important security functions including:
o remotely locking or unlocking doors
o starting or stopping the ignition
o establishing “geo-fences” (precise geographic boundaries that, if vehicles venture outside, will result in the owners being wirelessly alerted so they can contact police)
Examples of the other conditions that Asset-Link and FLT-Link can monitor and report include:
• Cargo stopped outside of its origin or destination for a longer-than-required time
• Vehicle speed in excess of pre-set limits
• Engine use or idle time beyond normal limits
• Refrigerated load temperature outside of safe range
• Door alarms or other motion-sensing devices have been activated
• Cargo weight has changed en route
• GPS-derived odometer reports
About CSI Wireless
With offices in Calgary, Silicon Valley, and Phoenix, CSI Wireless designs and manufactures innovative, cost-effective, wireless and GPS products for mobile and fixed applications in the agriculture, marine, automotive and other markets. CSI is a leader in several emerging high-growth markets including Precision Guidance in Agriculture, Consumer Telematics and Fixed Wireless Telephones. The Company owns numerous patents and intellectual property relating to wireless and GPS technologies. It has licensed its cellular technology to GPS, cellular handset, and chipset manufacturers. The company’s common shares trade on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "CSY", with approximately 33 million outstanding. For more information about CSI Wireless, go to www.csi-wireless.com.
The above disclosure contains certain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond CSI Wireless’s control, including: the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, increased competition, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates, stock market volatility and market valuations of companies with respect to the announced transactions and the final valuations thereof, and obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities. CSI Wireless’s actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits, including the amount of proceed, that CSI Wireless will derive therefrom.
For further information:
– Stephen Verhoeff, President & CEO, CSI Wireless Inc., (403) 259-3311, sverhoeff@csi-wireless.com;
– Corbet Pala, Investor Relations, E-vestor Communications Inc., (416) 657-2400, cpala@e-vestorcom.com;
– Jeff Adams, Public Relations Manager, CSI Wireless Inc., (403) 259-3311/615-8747 (cell), jadams@csi-wireless.com;
– Lieutenant Tim Stewart, North Texas Auto Theft Task Force, (214) 653-3440, twstewart@dallascounty.org;
– Alan Day, President, HeavyTrack, (210) 710-3076, alan@heavytrack.com