ecom instruments and Intermec Announce New Intrinsically Safe Handheld Mobile Computer

HOUSTON & EVERETT, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ecom instruments Inc. (subsidiary of ecom instruments GmbH of Assamstadt, Germany) and Intermec, Inc. (NYSE:IN) of Everett, Wash. today announced a new intrinsically safe handheld mobile computer for use in hazardous environments that include oil refineries and drilling platforms, petrochemical, pharmaceutical production, agriculture processing and other explosion-classified environments. The new i.roc Ci70 -Ex is the first product offering resulting from the strategic partnership between Intermec and ecom instruments announced in December 2011. The i.roc Ci70 -Ex will be exclusively sold and distributed by ecom.

“The i.roc Ci70 -Ex offers a best-in-class answer to the growing demand for specialized communications solutions for use in hazardous environments”

The i.roc Ci70 -Ex is the latest edition of the award-winning i.roc series of handhelds from ecom and the first to be jointly engineered and developed with Intermec. A new paradigm in intrinsically safe mobile computing, the i.roc Ci70 -Ex offers an unmatched feature set among hazardous environment computers, carries the widest range of explosion-hazardous area approvals worldwide, and is fully compatible with applications originally developed for Intermec 70 series devices operating under Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5.3.

The unique modular concept of the i.roc Ci70 -Ex includes a number of industry-firsts among intrinsically safe mobile computers.

Key features include:

Comprehensive wireless networking capabilities--including WWAN (3G CDMA or UMTS via the Qualcomm Gobi 3000 embedded module), WLAN (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n), and Bluetooth 2.1 allow for flexible data exchange even in areas with challenging reception conditions.
Advanced, long-range bar code imaging technology pioneered by Intermec and now adapted for intrinsically safe environments.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capability is achieved through modular design that support a wide range of frequencies, from low to ultra-high LF to UHF and ISO Standard frequencies.
Like other devices built from the 70 series platform, the i.roc Ci70 -Ex is fully compatible with Intermec Development Library tools and applications.
A wide range of peripherals and accessories make the i.roc Ci70 -Ex a truly complete enterprise business solution.

In addition to ecom’s worldwide service support, this device carries global certifications from NEC to ATEX and IECEx. Providing intrinsically safe mobile computing expertise for more than 25 years, the strategic partnership with Intermec leverages more than a 40 year legacy of innovation in rugged enterprise solutions to provide an uncompromising product to meet the demands of the industry’s toughest environments. Combining Intermec’s leadership in rugged mobile computing solutions with ecom’s expertise in hazardous environment computing, this new product is ready to face the most challenging applications.

“Today’s mission-critical hazardous area operations demand mobile computing solutions without compromising on current industry-leading technologies,” said Rolf Nied, President of ecom instruments. “Intermec and ecom combined their engineering expertise to integrate these state of the art technologies into this cutting-edge intrinsically safe handheld solution.”

“The i.roc Ci70 -Ex offers a best-in-class answer to the growing demand for specialized communications solutions for use in hazardous environments,” said Earl Thompson, Intermec Senior Vice President, Mobile Solutions Business Unit. “Already equipped with the various worldwide certifications required for explosive atmospheres, this product offers a rugged, efficient and reliable mobile computing solution to empower enterprises in these critical markets.”

The flexible i.roc Ci70 –Ex design was influenced to a high degree according to end user requirements and customer needs.

Michael M. Haley, Technology Consultant, BP Chief Technology Office stated, “At BP, we believe technology can make a significant impact on the enterprise. We focus on a few technologies with immediate impact that will also benefit long-term business needs. The integration of current and emerging RF communications for large industrial sites could yield greater efficiencies for business operations.”

“Explosive environments – such as those found on oil rigs, in petrochemical plants or in pharmaceutical production facilities – are among the harshest and most challenging environments in which to operate mobile computing and communications devices. In the i.roc Ci70 -Ex, Intermec, a leading rugged mobile computer vendor, and ecom instruments, a leader in the field of intrinsic safety, have co-developed a uniquely differentiated intrinsically safe rugged handheld computer targeted at these environments. What is especially compelling about this device is that it conforms to all key global certifications – from NEC to ATEX and IECEx – making a truly global platform,” David Krebs, VP Mobile & Wireless at VDC Research.

The i.roc Ci70 -Ex is showcased at the Offshore Technology Conference, in ecom instruments booth #4231.

For more information, please visit ecom’s Web Site at: www.ecom-ex.us.

For more information, visit www.intermec.com. To follow more from Intermec, visit Intermec's Trends & Technology blog or www.twitter.com/intermec.

About ecom instruments

Through the development of intrinsically safe equipment for use in Ex-classified areas, ecom instruments has dramatically shaped this sector over the past 25 years. The company offers a wide range of solutions in its four principal product groups of Mobile Computing, Communication, Measurement & Calibration and Portable Lighting. These are used around the world for various industrial applications in the chemical and petrochemical industry, the oil and natural gas industries as well as in the pharmaceutical, mining, energy and environmental sectors. Today the company is a global market leader in the field of portable explosion-protected equipment.

About Intermec

Intermec Inc. (NYSE:IN) develops and integrates products, services and technologies that identify, track and manage supply chain assets and information. Core technologies include rugged mobile computing and data collection systems, voice solutions that increase business performance, bar code printers, label media, and RFID. The company’s products and services are used by customers in many industries worldwide to improve the productivity, quality and responsiveness of business operations. For more information about Intermec, visit www.intermec.com or call 800-347-2636.

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