Berkeley Mineral Resources Regulatory News (BMR)

29 Nov 2005 07:00

Tecteon PLC29 November 2005 TECTEON PLC Joint venture agreement with Clement Clarke Communications Qstik PLC formed Tecteon PLC (http://www.tecteon.com), a leading provider of voice quality,comfort listening and hearing protection technologies and solutions, and ClementClarke Communications Limited (C3) (http://www.c3headsets.com) announce theformation of a new joint venture company called Qstik PLC. Qstik PLC is a technology development and manufacturing company with two majorfunctions: 1) To develop DSP-based military-grade voice enhancement technologiesand solutions, and 2) To develop and manufacture a range of digitally-enhancedvoice communication products for the business to business and mass consumerelectronics markets. The key objective for Qstik is to offer high qualityDSP-based voice-related products for the military, business and consumer marketthat incorporate state-of-the-art "military-grade" technologies developed byTecteon. Tecteon will have a 20% shareholding in Qstik, with Clement Clarke holding 60%of the remaining shares. The balance of the shares is held by Amir Nooral,Masoud Ahmadi (the Managing Director of Tecteon) and other directors of QstikPLC. Qstik aims to launch its first product in the spring of 2006. The product willincorporate Tecteon's highest quality adaptive noise reduction, audio shockprotection and speech enhancement algorithms, driven by the latest DSP (DigitalSignal Processing) technology and will be aimed at improving communications inthe mobile sector. Further products will follow, aimed at improving voicecommunication within the telephony and speech recognition markets. Under the terms of the agreement, in addition to porting and customisation fees,Qstik will pay licencing fees on standard commercial terms for the use ofTecteon technologies and solutions. The commercial arrangements between Qstikand Tecteon for licensing Tecteon's technologies have been agreed in principleand will be announced accordingly in due course. Given C3's well establishedmarket position within the military sector, it is agreed that Qstik will have anexclusive license to Tecteon technologies for the development of DSP-basedmilitary products only. As part of the deal with C3, the Chief Executive of Tecteon, Amir Nooral, is tostep down from Tecteon with immediate effect to join the new company as aDirector. While remaining as consultant to Tecteon, Amir will be responsible forthe technical strategy and direction of Qstik, as well as leading theengineering and product development of the new company. It has also been agreedthat Tecteon's Managing Director, Masoud Ahmadi will also become a director onthe board of Qstik PLC. Tecteon will be recruiting a Sale Executive to lead thecommercial efforts of the company to fully exploit the identified marketopportunities under Tecteon's existing business model. Mark Lyon, Managing Director at C3 stated: "Clement Clarke Communications believe in the Tecteon technology and we view theformation of Qstik as the best way to drive this element of our businessforward. Qstik will focus on integrating Tecteon technology into mass marketproducts for both the consumer and military markets. Qstik has an opportunity togrow into a large mass market business in a very short time frame." Masoud Alikhani, Chairman of Tecteon, commented: "This is an excellent opportunity for Tecteon to expand its markets into themilitary as well as the consumer sector. It also shows C3's confidence in ourtechnology. We have agreed that as part of the agreement Amir is to join thejoint-venture as we feel that Amir's expertise and experience of the consumermarket products and good overall knowledge of the industry will be best utilisedin growing the new company which has huge potential from which we will benefit." "This is an excellent deal for Tecteon since we will receive 20% of the profitsof the joint venture in addition to the development fees and our standardlicensing fees. This agreement with C3 offers Tecteon another avenue to marketin addition to the opportunities it is currently progressing. We are confidentthat Qstik will become a substantial business in its own right." 29th November 2005 For further information please contact: Tecteon PLC Tel: 020 8446 5005Masoud Alikhani, Chairman Bankside Consultants Tel: 020 7367 8888Michael Padley/Susan Scott Editors' Note About Tecteon PLC Established in mid 2001, with its head office in London, UK, Tecteon PLCdevelops and markets voice enhancement software technologies and algorithmsrunning on a range of DSP platforms. Tecteon technologies provide voice quality,comfort listening and hearing protection in wired and wireless voicecommunication systems, ranging from peripheral devices to telecom infrastructureequipment, examples include: Headsets (call centre, personal, police, pilots,military, fire-fighters), telephony (business, SMEs, residential), switches(PSTN, soft-switches, gateways), digital mobile radios, mobilephones, hands-free kits and AV conferencing units. About Clement Clarke Communications Clement Clarke Communications has been designing, developing and manufacturingheadsets for over sixty years. The MOD, NATO, airlines, air traffic control andemergency services around the world rely on the quality, reliability andtechnological advancement that Clement Clarke Communications represents. In recent years, this unique heritage has enabled us to create a range of callcentre headset solutions that combine the latest communications technologieswith the reliability and durability that has always been our hallmark. ENDS This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange