SMITHS DETECTION'S HazMatID ELITE WINS GOLD IN EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS

EDGEWOOD, Md., July 23, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smiths Detection's HazMatID Elite has won the Excellence in Design Gold Award at Appliance Design Magazine's 26th Annual Excellence in Design Awards. Elite is the next generation of Smiths Detection's HazMatID, the world's most widely used field-portable solid and liquid chemical identifier.

Appliance Design Magazine is a leading publication for design engineers in the global, commercial, and medical appliance/durable goods industry. Its award recognizes outstanding achievements in innovation, design and functionality in the products created for consumers and businesses. Winners were selected by a panel of design experts on the basis of creativity, ease of use and visual appeal.

Lance Roncalli, Smiths Detection's Managing Director and Vice President of Sales, Americas, said: "HazMatID Elite was specifically designed with easy to use functionality to provide military and first responders with quick chemical analysis and identification in challenging scenarios. Its design advantages and superior technology help reduce the threats from potentially hazardous unknown substances."

HazMatID Elite is a portable Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) identifier used to detect hazardous chemical and biological substances in one minute or less. The HazMatID Elite can identify and categorize thousands of materials, including chemical warfare agents, explosives, toxic industrial chemicals, narcotics, and suspicious powders, among other dangerous chemical classes.

For HazMatID specifications, please visit: http://www.smithsdetection.com/HazMatIDElite.php.

For Appliance Design's award citation for HazMatID Elite, please visit: http://www.appliancedesign.com/articles/93615-eid-gold-hazmatid-elite

Smiths Detection offers advanced security solutions in civil and military markets worldwide, developing and manufacturing government-regulated technology products that help detect and identify explosives, chemical and biological agents, radiological and nuclear threats, narcotics, weapons and contraband. It is part of Smiths Group, a global leader in applying integrated, advanced technologies to markets in threat and contraband detection, energy, medical devices, communications and engineered components. Smiths Group employs around 23,000 people in more than 50 countries.