BILLERICA, Mass., July 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Science and Engineering, Inc. ("AS&E") (Nasdaq:ASEI), a leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray detection solutions, today announced the launch of a new AS&E Public Safety Channel in North America. The Company has entered into agreements with six public safety channel partners servicing law enforcement, first responders, and other public safety markets across the U.S. at the local, metropolitan, county, and state levels.
AS&E's new partners are Communications International, Cooper General, Dailey-Wells, Eastern Communications, RACOM, and Tactical Public Safety. These channel partners will offer AS&E's advanced X-ray technology, including the new, breakthrough MINI Z™ handheld screening system, the ZBV® family of cargo and vehicle screening systems, the Gemini® line of parcel inspection systems, and the SmartCheck® personnel screening system.
"With over 150 years of collective experience, our new channel partners have a deep understanding of their customers' security challenges as they protect against threats to public safety," said Chuck Dougherty, AS&E's President and CEO. "AS&E systems are the detection technology of choice for customs, military, and security personnel because of their effectiveness, ease of use, and reliable performance, and we believe they will be a perfect fit for public safety applications as well. We are confident that our new channel partners—with their market knowledge and close customer relationships—will help us establish a North American channel as a first step in our global strategy to expand the application reach of our technology to include public safety."
"We are very excited to be one of the first indirect public safety channels for AS&E," said Jim Foley, CEO of Tactical Public Safety, LLC. "The response to the MINI Z system at the Police Security Expo in June was extremely positive, with demo participants commenting on its light weight, simple operation, and how easy it is to see concealed objects. We believe our partnership with AS&E will help us provide officials with mission-critical tools to meet current and future threats to public safety."
Each AS&E channel partner will provide local training, service, and operations support to ensure that public safety customers leverage the full capabilities of AS&E's advanced security detection systems.
MINI Z: The World's First Handheld Z Backscatter® Screening System
The MINI Z system is a portable, single-sided imaging system that can be used to scan objects in hard-to-reach areas such as unattended bags, backpacks, or packages in a subway or bus. It uses AS&E's signature Z Backscatter technology, an advanced X-ray imaging technology that detects and highlights the organic materials that transmission X-ray systems can miss, such as plastic guns, ceramic knives, explosives, and drugs. The operator controls the scanning function using a simple, intuitive GUI on the system's dedicated tablet, which shows an image of the scanned target in real-time–no set up required. Unlike density meters, trace detectors, and portable transmission X-ray systems, the MINI Z system produces an easy-to-interpret image to quickly detect organic threats and contraband behind non-metallic surfaces. Learn more at meetminiz.com.
ZBV: The Number One Selling Cargo and Vehicle Inspection System in the World
A breakthrough in X-ray inspection technology, the ZBV system is the top-selling mobile cargo and vehicle screening system in the world. This highly mobile screening system allows for immediate deployment and rapid inspection to reveal explosives, drugs, currency, alcohol, cigarettes and other organic threats or contraband. With over 730 systems sold to date, AS&E's ZBV system is used by leading government agencies, border authorities, law enforcement, military organizations, and security agencies in 65 countries. The ZBV platform is available in three different models: the original C-Class, the ruggedized R-Class, and the streamlined S-Class. Watch the ZBV video to see why it is the top selling cargo and vehicle inspection system in the world.
Gemini Multi-Technology Parcel X-ray Inspection System
AS&E's ground-breaking Gemini systems provide the most comprehensive threat detection available for hand-carried items, mail, parcel, and baggage screening. Available in multiple tunnel sizes, the Gemini systems offer the unique capability to simultaneously detect both metallic and non-metallic threats—even in cluttered environments. The systems feature a combination of dual-energy transmission and Z Backscatter X-rays, two complementary, advanced, and commercially-proven technologies. Together, the Gemini system's two technologies provide the most information available about the contents of a parcel.
SmartCheck Personnel Screening System
AS&E's SmartCheck system is the industry's most comprehensive, non-intrusive, personnel screening system. The system dramatically enhances the security inspection process by displaying all types of threats concealed under a person's clothing. SmartCheck images provide the operator with information on the shape, size, and location of potential threats or contraband. The privacy image ensures the scanned individual's privacy, while still effectively displaying threats. SmartCheck's Z Backscatter X-ray technology ensures that the system is safe both for operators and the scanned individual. The system is also available in a high-throughput configuration, the SmartCheck HT.
About AS&E
American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E) is the trusted global provider of threat and contraband detection solutions for ports, borders, military, critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and aviation. With over 50 years of experience, AS&E offers proven, advanced X-ray inspection systems to combat terrorism, drug smuggling, illegal immigration and trade fraud. AS&E systems are designed in a variety of configurations for cargo and vehicle inspection, parcel inspection, and personnel screening. Using a combination of technologies, these systems provide superior detection capabilities, with high-energy, dual-energy, and Z Backscatter X-rays. Learn more about AS&E products and technologies at www.as-e.com and follow us on Twitter @ase_detects.
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.