BILLERICA, Mass., March 13, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Science and Engineering, Inc. ("AS&E") (Nasdaq:ASEI) a leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray detection solutions, announced today that the Company's breakthrough Z Portal® cargo and vehicle screening system has won Gold for Best Explosives/ID/Contraband Detection at the GSN: Government Security News 2013 Border Security Awards. The winners will be announced and awards presented at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, March 12-13, 2013.
The GSN award recognizes AS&E's Z Portal system — a breakthrough cargo and vehicle screening solution developed in response to the essential need of border security authorities around the world to quickly and safely detect drugs and contraband at checkpoints without impeding the flow of commerce. Customers include U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), who deployed the Z Portal system in 2008 at the San Ysidro, California border crossing — the busiest land port of entry in the United States.
"It is an honor to have AS&E's Z Portal system recognized for the superior detection it has provided for border security officials around the world," said Anthony R. Fabiano, AS&E's President and CEO. "This award closely follows the recognition of the ZBV system as the 'Best Explosives Detection Solution' at the 2012 Homeland Security Awards. We are grateful to GSN and its panel of judges for once again selecting AS&E's unique detection solutions."
The GSN Border Security Awards program was established to honor outstanding vendor technologies, successful government strategies and implementations, and exceptional individuals whose ideas or actions have enhanced border security. The winners were selected by a panel of judges led by Chuck Brooks, who earned an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, was an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University, was the first Director of Legislative Affairs for the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security and was a defense and foreign policy advisor to the late Senator Arlen Spector.
AS&E's Z Portal Cargo & Vehicle Screening System: High-Throughput, Drive-Through Inspection
The Z Portal system is the most comprehensive screening system available with multi-view, drive-through screening for left, right, and top-down imaging of cars, vans, trucks, and their cargo. The Z Portal system's patented Z Backscatter™ technology provides superior detection capability of organic materials such as explosives, drugs, stowaways, and other contraband. With its compact design, the Z Portal system is ideal for high-traffic locations with space constraints and a high-throughput requirement and is safe for drivers, operators, cargo, and the environment. The relocatable screening system is available in two sizes — one for large trucks, buses, and cargo vehicles, and a smaller size for passenger vehicles. Customers include U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Defense, Abu Dhabi Customs, and NATO.
American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E) is a leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray inspection systems. With over 50 years of experience in developing advanced X-ray security systems, the Company's product line utilizes a combination of technologies, including patented Z Backscatter™ technology, Radioactive Threat Detection (RTD), high energy transmission and dual energy transmission X-ray. These technologies offer superior X-ray threat detection for plastic explosives, plastic weapons, liquid explosives, dirty bombs and nuclear devices. AS&E's complete range of products include cargo inspection systems for port and border security, baggage screening systems for facility and aviation security, and personnel and passenger screening systems. AS&E® systems protect high-threat facilities and help combat terrorism, trade fraud, drug smuggling, weapon smuggling, illegal immigration, and people smuggling. For more information on AS&E products and technologies, please visit AS&E's new website at www.as-e.com.
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Safe Harbor Statement: The foregoing press release contains statements concerning AS&E's financial performance, markets and business operations that may be considered "forward-looking" under applicable securities laws. AS&E wishes to caution readers of this press release that actual results might differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements contained herein include the following: significant reductions, delays or cancellations (in full or in part) in procurements of the Company's systems by the United States and other governments; disruption in the supply of any source component incorporated into AS&E's products; litigation seeking to restrict the use of intellectual property used by the Company; limitations under certain laws on the Company's ability to protect its own intellectual property; potential product liability claims against the Company; global political trends and events which affect public perception of the threat presented by drugs, explosives and other contraband; global economic developments and the ability of governments and private organizations to fund purchases of the Company's products to address such threats; the potential insufficiency of Company resources, including human resources, capital, plant and equipment and management systems, to accommodate any future growth; technical problems and other delays that could impact new product development and the Company's ability to adapt to changes in technology and customer requirements; competitive pressures; lengthy sales cycles both in United States government procurement and procurement abroad; future delays in federal funding, the market price of the company's stock prevailing from time to time, the nature of other investment opportunities presented to the company from time to time, the company's cash flows from operations and market and general economic conditions. These and certain other factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected are detailed from time to time in AS&E's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. AS&E undertakes no obligation to update forward looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or changes in future operating results, financial condition or business over time. Readers are further advised to review the "Risk Factors" set forth in the Company's most recent Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, which further detail and supplement the factors described in this Safe Harbor Statement. Among other disclosures, the Risk Factors disclose risks pertaining to that portion of the Company's business that is dependent on United States government contracting as well as international customers.