Under the terms of the new alliance, SARS Inc., headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, will access Inmarsat-C services via Xantic’s Land Earth Station in Burum, the Netherlands. SARS Inc. will use Inmarsat-C to provide customers with its self-developed application, SafetyTrax C which is American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) type approved SOLAS SSAS Alarm system that is integrated into SARS Back Office line of web based tracking products and software.

Inmarsat-C is an advanced, two-way packet-data communications system making use of the store-and-forward principle. The Inmarsat organisation operates four satellites in geo-stationary orbit above the equator, which together provide global coverage, (with the exception of the extreme Polar regions). Xantic’s Land Earth Stations in Burum and Perth link these satellites with the international standard telex, telephone and data networks.

Commenting on the new arrangement, David Hisdal, Vice President of Geographic Systems, Sales & Marketing at SARS Inc. said, “We are very excited about our relationship with Xantic and the Inmarsat C services. This robust communications service has proven itself to be the global standard for maritime communications.
We are pleased to be able to cooperate with Xantic to facilitate our customers using the SafetyTrax C shipboard silent alarm system and tracking services. Xantic has shown itself to be an exceptional service provider and the agreement will greatly enhance our web-based vessel, aircraft, rail, intermodal, AVL and fleet logistics offerings.”

Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Xantic VP America was equally enthusiastic about the alliance. “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to expanding Xantic’s presence in the United States via partnerships with organisations that are specialised in the particular field in which they operate. Working closely together with a company of the stature of SARS Inc. is an important step forward in this respect.”
The Hague, the Netherlands 6 November 2003

Editor’s note:

About Xantic:
Xantic was formed by the merger between Station 12, Telstra Global Satellite, SpecTec and KPN Broadcast. By combining the knowledge, expertise and skills of four top companies, Xantic has created an unrivalled portfolio of solutions in an area known as CAT: Content, Applications and Transactions.

As a result, Xantic is one of the world’s leading satellite communication providers, offering high level ICT and CAT oriented solutions to all those who work in a business to business environment. Xantic operates two Earth Stations – one in The Netherlands (Burum) and one in Australia (Perth). With offices and agents in more than 29 countries, Xantic provides customers with premium service and quality, wherever they are in the world.

For further information, please contact:

Marguerite Evenaar, Director Communications, Xantic Corporate Communications
Tel: +31 70 343 2734; email marguerite.evenaar@xantic.net
Or
Aad Luhulima, Communications Manager, Xantic Corporate Communications
Tel: +31 70 446 5962; email aad.luhulima@xantic.net

About SARS, Inc: Secure Asset Reporting Services (SARS):
SARS is a global asset management company dedicated to serving the needs of the transportation industry. The company’s products and services were originally developed for internal use by Yukon Fuel Company and Yutana Barge Lines, which needed a flexible, reliable, adaptable solution to meet the demands of Alaska’s rugged environment. Today SARS brings over one hundred years of experience to bear on the challenges facing transportation professionals. The company’s solutions are developed from a customer’s perspective to ensure easy integration with existing business processes and systems. SARS’ flagship product, Intelitrax, is an asset management service that uses the well known PC-based AutoDesk Map Guide software platform. SARS Intelitrax provides a robust and customisable system for real-time asset tracking, monitoring and communications anywhere on earth.

For further information, press only: please contact: