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Exide Technologies Signs Agreement with
Ballard Power Systems for Forklift Truck Power Solution
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Alpharetta, Georgia, and Vancouver, Canada - (October
9, 2007)
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Exide Technologies (NASDAQ: XIDE, www.exide.com), a global
leader in stored electrical-energy solutions, announced today it
has signed an agreement with Ballard Power Systems to develop an
on-board hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and lead-acid battery energy
system for the forklift truck (or materials handling) market.
Exide plans to meet all its hydrogen fuel cell needs in the
forklift truck market over the next five years exclusively with
Ballard fuel cells.
Ballard (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLD, www.ballard.com) is recognized
as a world leader in the development, manufacture and sale of
zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells. Ballard’s work in the
materials handling market has, to this point, been based on
using the company’s Mark9 SSL™ fuel cell stack as an
alternative to lead-acid batteries. This program will utilize
Ballard’s Mark1020 ACS™ hydrogen fuel cell stack and Exide’s
ELEMENT™ valve regulated lead acid batteries. The program
illustrates the flexibility of fuel cells and batteries, while
opening a new channel to the materials handling market. The
hybrid fuel-cell battery system also is anticipated to provide
incremental revenue opportunities for both companies.
“Our alliance with Ballard demonstrates our commitment to
innovation in high-technology energy storage solutions, while
addressing the unique concerns of our customers,” said Mark
Jesko, Director of Marketing – Industrial Energy Americas for
Exide Technologies. “Using hydrogen fuel cells to provide
on-board recharging capability also allows Exide to enter a
growth segment of the market.”
Ballard is focused on commercializing products in nearer term
markets where hydrogen fuel cells offer benefits to customers
that incumbent solutions cannot. Ballard’s Mark1020 ACS fuel
cell features fast, dynamic response, robust and reliable
operation, durable packaging and a simplified, air-cooled
design. While Ballard’s customers have used the Mark1020 ACS
technology primarily for stationary telecommunications backup
power, this product is also suitable for motive power
applications. The design simplicity of the Mark1020 ACS enables
integration of the stack into less complex, lower-cost systems,
supporting the move towards commercialization of fuel cell
products in the materials handling market, where cost is a key
consideration.
“We are excited to work with a global player in developing an
on-board hybrid energy system,” said Michael Rosenberg,
Ballard’s Director – Materials Handling. “And, Exide’s
commitment to this effort certainly reflects the growing
interest in commercial fuel cell-powered applications.”
Initial prototypes of the hybrid hydrogen fuel cell battery
system will be delivered to the U.S. Department of Defense.
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About Exide Technologies Exide
Technologies, with operations in more than 80 countries, is one
of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid
batteries. The Company's four global business groups --
Transportation Americas, Transportation Europe and Rest of
World, Industrial Energy Americas and Industrial Energy Europe
and Rest of World -- provide a comprehensive range of stored
electrical energy products and services for industrial and
transportation applications.
Transportation markets include original-equipment and
aftermarket automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural and
marine applications, and new technologies for hybrid vehicles
and 42-volt automotive applications. Industrial markets include
network power applications such as telecommunications systems,
electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power
related) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and
motive-power applications including lift trucks, mining and
other commercial vehicles.
Further information about Exide, including its financial
results, are available at
www.exide.com.
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| Forward Looking Statements
Except for historical
information, this press release may be deemed to contain
"forward-looking" statements. The Company desires to avail
itself of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") and is including this
cautionary statement for the express purpose of availing itself
of the protection afforded by the Act. The Company undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statement in this or any prior forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future developments or
otherwise.
Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, (a) projections of revenues, cost of raw materials,
income or loss, earnings or loss per share, capital
expenditures, growth prospects, dividends, the effect of
currency translations, capital structure and other financial
items, (b) statements of plans and objectives of the Company or
its management or Board of Directors, including the introduction
of new products, or estimates or predictions of actions by
customers, suppliers, competitors or regulating authorities, (c)
statements of future economic performance and (d) statements of
assumptions, such as the prevailing weather conditions in the
Company's market areas, underlying other statements and
statements about the Company or its business.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from these forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, the following general factors such as: (i) the
Company's ability to implement and fund based on current
liquidity business strategies and restructuring plans, (ii)
unseasonable weather (warm winters and cool summers) which
adversely affects demand for automotive and some industrial
batteries, (iii) the Company's substantial debt and debt service
requirements which may restrict the Company's operational and
financial flexibility, as well as imposing significant interest
and financing costs, (iv) the litigation proceedings to which
the Company is subject, the results of which could have a
material adverse effect on the Company and its business, (v) the
realization of the tax benefits of the Company's net operating
loss carry forwards, which is dependent upon future taxable
income, (vi) the fact that lead, a major constituent in most of
the Company's products, experiences significant fluctuations in
market price and is a hazardous material that may give rise to
costly environmental and safety claims, (vii) competitiveness of
the battery markets in North America and Europe, (viii) the
substantial management time and financial and other resources
needed for the Company's consolidation and rationalization of
acquired entities, (ix) risks involved in foreign operations
such as disruption of markets, changes in import and export
laws, currency restrictions, currency exchange rate fluctuations
and possible terrorist attacks against U.S. interests, (x) the
Company's exposure to fluctuations in interest rates on its
variable debt, (xi) the Company's ability to maintain and
generate liquidity to meet its operating needs, (xii) general
economic conditions, (xiii) the ability to acquire goods and
services and/or fulfill labor needs at budgeted costs, (xiv) the
Company's reliance on a single supplier for its polyethylene
battery separators, (xv) the Company's ability to successfully
pass along increased material costs to its customers, (xvi) the
Company's significant pension obligations over the next several
years.
Therefore, the Company cautions each reader of this press
release carefully to consider those factors set forth above and
those factors described in the Company's Form 10-K filed on June
11, 2007 and its Form 10-Q filed on August 7, 2007, because such
factors have, in some instances, affected and in the future
could affect, the ability of the Company to achieve its
projected results and may cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed herein.
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| About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems Inc. (TSX:
BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) is recognized as a leader in the development,
manufacture and sale of hydrogen fuel cells. Ballard’s mission
is to make fuel cells a commercial reality. To learn more about
what Ballard is doing with Power to Change the WorldŽ, visit
www.ballard.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements that are based
on the beliefs and assumptions of Ballard’s management and
reflect Ballard’s current expectations as contemplated under
section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. Such assumptions relate to our financial forecasts and
expectations regarding our product development efforts,
manufacturing capacity, and market demand. These statements
involve risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual
results to be materially different, including, without
limitation, the rate of mass adoption of our products, product
development delays, changing environmental regulations, our
ability to attract and retain business partners and customers,
our access to funding, increased competition, our ability to
protect our intellectual property, changes in our customers’
requirements, and our ability to provide the capital required
for product development, operations and marketing. Readers
should not place undue reliance on Ballard’s forward-looking
statements and Ballard assumes no obligation to update or
release any revisions to these forward looking statements. For a
detailed discussion of the risk factors that could affect
Ballard’s future performance, please refer to our most recent
Annual Information Form.
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