Alstom and Locus announce strategic alliance agreement

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AND STUTTGART, GERMANY, 31 January 2002 — Locus Technologies (Locus) and ALSTOM Power Environmental Consult, GmbH (ALSTOM Consult) announced today that the two companies will enter into a Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA). Locus provides comprehensive consulting, engineering, Internet-based remote control, automation, and information management services for the environmental market. ALSTOM Consult is a leading provider of services in the areas of compliance audits; permitting; storage tank management; environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) management; and all aspects of the investigation, assessment, and cleanup of contaminated sites.

The SAA primarily covers the area of advanced information technology in the environmental industry and will provide increased value to Locus’s and ALSTOM Consult’s industrial clients by formalizing and expanding the companies’ collaborative efforts on numerous environmental projects in Europe. Under the agreement, ALSTOM Consult will become a distributor and an operator of Locus’s award-winning, web-based suite of applications, LocusFocus(SM). This suite includes modules for: (1) automating, operating, and controlling process and treatment systems for water, groundwater, wastewater, air, and soil; (2) managing environmental data; (3) conducting site audits; (4) storing and retrieving documents; and (5) collaborating on-line. In addition to innovations in technology, Locus and ALSTOM Consult will also benefit from teaming on professional and technical environmental projects in Europe and North America.

“We are very pleased to formalize our existing and long-standing relationship with ALSTOM Consult. This agreement will help Locus better serve our European-based clients and will facilitate deployment of our web-based technologies in Europe. With ALSTOM Consult’s distributed network of offices throughout Europe, we can now extend our services to an important market for our company,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus.

“ALSTOM Consult is very happy to start using and bringing Locus’s web technologies to the European market. We are also excited to expand our current relationship to provide value added technologies to existing and new markets in Europe and North America,” said Dr. Peter Rissing, Managing Director of ALSTOM’s environmental consulting business.

The European market for environmental goods and services is currently $149 billion and is expanding at the rate of approximately $4 billion dollars per year (California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency, 2001). With Locus’s strong presence in North America and ALSTOM Consult’s high profile in Europe, the SAA is expected to bring significant benefits to both companies and their respective clients.
ABOUT ALSTOM
ALSTOM Power Environmental Consult is a recognized expert in environmental management services with an emphasis on contaminated land management, due diligence service in mergers and acquisitions, implementation of EH&S management systems, and ISO 14001, as well as occupational EH&S services. ALSTOM Power Environmental Consult is part of ALSTOM Power, which offers a range of boilers, energy recovery, and environmental equipment. ALSTOM has annual sales in excess of 22 billion euros and employs approximately 120,000 people in over 70 countries. The Company is listed on the Paris,London and New York stock exchanges. More information on ALSTOM can be found at www.alsto.com.

Locus Technologies announces hosting agreement with Intel® Online Services, Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 23 March 2001 — Locus Technologies (Locus), a leader in environmental information management, today announced that they will host LocusFocus(TM), Locus’s environmental Application Service Provider (ASP) web portal, with Intel Online Services.

Locus will be using AppChoice(sm) Managed Hosting Service from Intel Online Services to provide optimal reliability, scalability and performance for LocusFocus. The LocusFocus portal includes remote control and monitoring of treatment systems, Environmental Information Management (EIM[TM]), and document management and collaboration tools. The EIM(TM) database is designed to manage the vast quantities of sampling, analytical and
geotechnical data that are typically collected during the investigation, cleanup and monitoring of contaminated sites.

“We chose Intel Online Services for the reliability of the Intel Online Services managed service offering,” said Mr. Neno Duplancic, president and chief executive officer of Locus.” By taking advantage of these capabilities, we can focus our attention to reducing costs in the environmental industry through the application of a centralized web-based system that Locus now offers.”

 

ABOUT INTEL ONLINE SERVICES
Intel Online Services, Inc., provides global Web services that manage the complexities of eBusiness computing. Intel Online Services uses integrated technologies and proven processes to deliver a range of Web services for optimal reliability, scalability and performance.

Locus advises Adtranz and Lucchini Group on sale of manufacturing facilities in United Kingdom and Sweden

PARIS, FRANCE AND WALNUT CREEK, CA., 17 November 2000 — Locus Technologies International, LLC (Locus), a fully owned subsidiary of Locus Technologies, today announced that they acted as environmental consultant to ADtranz and Lucchini Group for environmental due diligence and site investigation during sale of ADtranz Wheelset manufacturing facilities in Manchester, UK and Surahammar, Sweden to the Lucchini Group of Brescia, Italy. The ADtranz facilities being sold produce approximately 50,000 wheels and some 3,200 assembled wheelsets annually for various railway applications. Together, the ADtranz Wheelset plants have more than two centuries of experience in the production of wheels, with the first such activities dating back to 1866 in Surahammar and 1908 in Manchester. Locus performed fast-track field investigation at the Surahammar facility and supervised field investigation performed at the Manchester site. Locus also assisted in review of legal documents and insurance guarantees related to environmental liabilities.

“We are very pleased that Locus was selected to assist ADtranz and Lucchini with this important transaction,” said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus. “Locus was able to mobilize necessary resources in a short period of time and perform field investigation at manufacturing facilities that have been in operation over a century. This performance demonstrates our ability to provide excellent services to our clients around the globe on short notice. We are also pleased that Lucchini has expanded its relationship with Locus from environmental projects in France and Italy to include newly acquired sites in the UK and Sweden. We believe application of Locus’s award-winning Internet portal, LocusFocus™, to these environmental projects is a big reason for this expansion.”

The Lucchini Group, with 20 plants throughout Europe (10 in Italy, nine in France, and one in Poland), is a leader in the manufacturing of quality long-steel products. The Lucchini Group has annual revenues of 1.7 billion Euros. ADtranz is a leading global provider of railway services, systems, and rolling stock and operates under the legal name “DaimlerChrysler Rail Systems” and had 1999 total sales of 3.5 billion Euros.”

Locus Technologies awarded groundwater contract at Singer-Friden Site in San Leandro, Calif.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., 24 May 2000 — Locus Technologies (Locus) today announced that they were awarded a contract for construction of the groundwater treatment system for the Singer-Friden site in San Leandro, CA.

The contract was awarded by URS Corporation of San Francisco, California, who designed the project under contract to the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). The construction work to be performed by Locus is the final part of the clean up of solvents in the groundwater underneath the Singer-Friden site. These actions being taken were outlined in the Remedial Action Plan approved for the site in 1995. Locus’s scope of work includes completing the groundwater extraction well system, installing conveyance piping, constructing a fully automated groundwater treatment plant designed for remote operation, and startup and shakedown services.

“This is obviously an important win for us,” said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus Technologies. “It demonstrates our competitiveness and ability to provide the full range of services that are required for cleaning up contaminated groundwater. We are happy that our experience constructing advanced automated groundwater treatment
systems has allowed us to compete successfully for this major project at the DTSC-Singer-Friden site.” With this award, Locus reinforces its position as the nation’s leading provider of groundwater services. Locus is a pioneer in the use of Internet technologies to automate groundwater treatment and information management through their LocusFocusTM web portal.

Project execution will come jointly from Locus Technologies’ offices in Mountain View and Walnut Creek, California. The contract requires construction to be completed within 60 days. Construction is to begin immediately.

Locus Technologies announces formation of Locus Technologies International and the award of project to perform “Etude De Sol” studies in France

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., 10 May 2000 — Locus Technologies announced today the formation of Locus Technologies International, LLC, (LTI) a fully owned subsidiary of Locus Technologies, to focus on international markets. LTI has opened its first branch in Paris, France.

LTI, in partnership with ALSTOM Environmental Consult, S.A.R.L. of Paris, also announced today the award of a project to perform environmental assessment studies (Etude de Sol) under French regulatory framework for all Ascometal plants in France. Ascometal, a member of the Lucchini Group of companies from Brescia, Italy, is Europe’s largest producer of sheet metal. The Lucchini Group operates steel plants in Italy, France, and Poland.

“We are very excited to continue our relationship with the Lucchini Group and Ascometal, which started during 1999 environmental due diligence for acquisition of Ascometal plants by the Lucchini Group. Our client has realized the enormous potential of Locus Technologies’ Internet-based solutions for the environmental industry, and we are pleased to expand these services into the rapidly growing European environmental market,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, president and CEO of Locus Technologies and LTI.

In addition to Part A and Part B soil studies required under French environmental laws, LTI will also apply its LocusFocusTM Internet-based technology to provide Ascometal with a comprehensive environmental portal to manage all aspects of their environmental program, such as document management, collaboration, and analytical information management.

Locus Technologies and CKM Consultants win environmental project in Singapore

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., 15 December 1999 — Locus Technologies (Locus) today announced that the company and CKM Consultants PTE LTD (CKM) of Singapore have been appointed consultants to the Singapore Ministry of Environment for sewerage and drainage services, based on their tender in which Locus Technologies had been included as CKM’s Associate Consultant. The appointment is for a contract of 5 years, and CKM may be called upon to provide services at any time during this period for any of the Singapore Ministry of Environment’s projects ranging between S$1,000,000 to S$20,000,000 ($0.6 to $12 million U.S. dollars). The consultancy is related to pumping station, sewage treatment plant, and replacement of equipment in sewage treatment works. Locus and CKM have worked together in the past.

“This is a very important win for CKM and Locus Technologies. It demonstrates the value of Locus’s environmental and Internet-based technologies in the highly competitive Southeast Asia environmental markets. The win provides entry for Locus to the Singapore market,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus. “We are pleased that we will be working with Locus Technologies on this important project. Through partnership with Locus, CKM gets access to advanced U.S.-based environmental technologies,” said Dr. C.K. Murthy, Managing Director of CKM.

Locus Technologies completes due diligence of Ascometal plants in France

WALNUT CREEK, CA., 25 May 1999 — Usinor, the world’s second largest steelmaker, concluded an agreement on May 14, 1999, for the sale of Ascométal to the Italian steelmaker Lucchini S.p.A. Aster, the Usinor group’s wholly owned holding company for specialty steels businesses, will sell 100 percent of Ascométal and its Safe subsidiary to Lucchini. Locus Technologies (Locus) today announced that they acted as consultant to Lucchini S.p.A for environmental due diligence of Ascométal plants in France. Ascométal produces special long-steel products, and Safe is its forging subsidiary. Together, the two companies had 1998 net sales of 750 million euros, representing 7 percent of Usinor’s consolidated sales. Ascométal, with four electric furnace steel production units and four transformation and distribution facilities, sold 1.1 million metric tons of rolled long-steel products in 1998.

Lucchini SpA had consolidated sales of 990 million euros in 1998 and a production of approximately 2 million metric tons of rolled long-steel products. Lucchini is a European leader in the special long-products segment.

“This is obviously an important development for Locus,” said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus Technologies. “It demonstrates our competitive position and ability to provide due diligence and other environmental services in Europe. We are happy that our contribution to environmental due diligence helped close this important transaction for our client.” With this project, Locus continues its expansion into Europe.

Locus Technologies awarded remediation system installation at Union Pacific Railroad Yard in Tracy, CA.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., 5 May 1999 — Locus Technologies today announced that they were awarded a contract for groundwater remediation system installation at Union Pacific Railroad’s yard in Tracy, CA.

The remediation project will be managed in four phases: (1) construction of the infiltration trench, (2) construction of the extraction wells, (3) installation of the treatment system, and (4) system automation. As a leader in the field of groundwater treatment and automation, Locus will apply the most advanced techniques for installation of mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and control systems.

Locus Technologies is thrilled to have the opportunity to install an advanced automated groundwater treatment system at UPRR’s Tracy Yard. This is the third in a series of UPRR groundwater treatment system automation projects awarded to Locus Technologies in recent months. “It clearly demonstrates that Locus’s state-of-the-art Internet-based automation technology, when coupled with system installation, provides significant reduction of the overall cost for groundwater remediation projects. We are pleased that we can transfer those savings to UPRR,” said Mr. Neno Duplancic, President of Locus Technologies.