Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems L.L.C. Receives QS 9000 and ISO 14000 Certifications for New Plant in Springboro, Ohio
November 04 2003 - 12:17PM
PR Newswire (US)
Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems L.L.C. Receives QS 9000 and ISO 14000
Certifications for New Plant in Springboro, Ohio 170,000 Square
Feet of State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Space With Future Annual
Production Capacity of 1.2 Million Battery Modules SPRINGBORO,
Ohio, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The growing hybrid electric
vehicle and stationary power markets will now be better served with
the commissioning of Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems' new production
plant in Springboro, Ohio, near Dayton. The only manufacturing
plant of its kind in the U.S., construction of the Texaco Ovonic
Battery Systems facility began in October 2002. It features 170,000
square feet of manufacturing space, which is twice the size of the
plant it replaces in nearby Kettering, Ohio. State-of-the art
manufacturing equipment is now in place at the Springboro plant,
with a future annual production capacity estimated at 1.2 million
battery modules when fully equipped. Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems
L.L.C. is a 50-50 joint venture between a subsidiary of
ChevronTexaco Corp. (NYSE:CVX) and a subsidiary of (NASDAQ: ENER).
Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems is helping to bring advanced nickel
metal hydride (NiMH) batteries into Energy Conversion Devices Inc.
widespread commercial production for transportation and stationary
applications. Thomas S. Neslage, President and Chief Operating
Officer of Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems, said, "The achievement of
QS 9000 certification and ISO 14000 certification is an important
milestone in our business strategy. We are demonstrating that our
goal at Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems is to deliver advanced high
quality system solutions that offer value and reliability. In fact,
some of the first modules from the plant will be delivered to the
new Energy Center facility under construction by Grand Valley State
University in Muskegon, Mich. The University has selected our
NiGEN(TM) 80 kilowatt hour energy storage solution which will be
used for peak shaving and load leveling. The planned installation
of this solution is timely given the recent power interruptions
experienced in the Northeast." David Garman, Assistant Secretary
for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of
Energy commented, "We are very pleased to see that Texaco Ovonic
Battery Systems has completed its state-of-the-art Ovonic(R) nickel
metal hydride battery manufacturing facility in Ohio. The products
from this facility can play a key role in reaching the vision
embodied in the President's National Energy Policy and increasing
energy diversity." About Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems
Headquartered in Troy, Mich., Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems L.L.C.,
a 50- 50 joint venture between ECD Ovonics and a subsidiary of
ChevronTexaco Corp., was formed in July 2001 to commercialize
Ovonic(R) NiMH battery technology for transportation applications
such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), electric vehicles (EV),
heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) and high-voltage (36-42) automotive
electrical systems for future gasoline-powered automobiles. It is
also focused on battery applications for various stationary power
and telecommunications markets. For more information about Texaco
Ovonic Battery Systems visit http://www.txobattery.com/ . About ECD
Ovonics ECD Ovonics is the leader in the synthesis of new materials
and the development of advanced production technology and
innovative products. It has invented, pioneered and developed
enabling technologies in the fields of energy and information
leading to new products and production processes based on
amorphous, disordered and related materials. ECD Ovonics'
proprietary advanced information technologies include Ovonic
phase-change electrical memory, Ovonic phase-change optical memory
and the Ovonic Threshold Switch. The Company's portfolio of
alternative energy solutions include thin-film amorphous solar
cells, modules, panels and systems for generating solar electric
power; NiMH batteries; hydride storage materials capable of storing
hydrogen in the solid state for use as a feedstock for fuel cells
or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement or replacement
for any type of hydrocarbon fuel; and fuel cells. ECD Ovonics
designs and builds manufacturing machinery that incorporates its
proprietary production processes, maintains ongoing research and
development programs to continually improve its products and
develops new applications for its technologies. ECD Ovonics holds
the basic patents in its fields. More information on ECD Ovonics is
available on http://www.ovonic.com/ . About ChevronTexaco Corp.
Based in San Ramon, Calif., ChevronTexaco Corp. is the
second-largest U.S.-based energy company and the fifth largest in
the world, based on market capitalization. Approximately 52,000
ChevronTexaco employees work in approximately 180 countries around
the world, producing crude oil and natural gas, and marketing fuels
and other energy products. In addition to supplying global energy,
ChevronTexaco is involved in numerous advanced clean energy and
fuel technologies. ChevronTexaco, through ChevronTexaco Technology
Ventures, pursues commercialization of a broad spectrum of energy
related technologies and is an active venture capital investor.
Commercialization and investment activities include development of
hydrogen generation and storage systems, hydrogen infrastructure
and other energy storage technology such as advanced batteries.
Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems is one of the joint ventures managed
by this unit, through the subsidiary Texaco Energy Systems L.L.C.
For more information about ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures visit
http://www.chevrontexaco.com/technologyventures/. This press
release may contain a number of forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, any statements made
concerning ChevronTexaco's, ECD Ovonics' and Texaco Ovonic Battery
Systems' expected performance and financial results in future
periods are based upon ChevronTexaco's, ECD Ovonics' and Texaco
Ovonic Battery Systems' current expectations and beliefs and are
subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors
known to ChevronTexaco, ECD Ovonics, and Texaco Ovonic Battery
Systems, among others, could cause their actual results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements:
inaccurate scientific data; mechanical, chemical and technological
failures; decreased demand for alternative fuels and other
products; above or below-average product and technology demands;
worldwide and industry economic conditions; higher costs, expenses
and interest rates; the outcome of pending and future litigation
and governmental proceedings; continued availability of financing;
and strikes and other industrial disputes. In addition, you are
encouraged to review ChevronTexaco's and ECD Ovonics' latest
reports filed with the SEC, including but not limited to
ChevronTexaco's and ECD Ovonics' Annual Report on Form 10- K, which
describe a number of additional risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to vary materially from those listed in the
forward- looking statements made in this press release. DATASOURCE:
Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems L.L.C. CONTACT: Ray Wagner of Texaco
Ovonic Battery Systems, +1-248-637-7407; Ghazaleh Koefod of ECD
Ovonics, +1-248-293-0440; Jennifer Silva of ChevronTexaco
Technology Ventures, +1-713-954-6803; or Nadia Jamshidi of McGrath
Power, +1-408-727-0351, for ECD Ovonics Web site:
http://www.ovonic.com/ http://www.txobattery.com/
http://www.chevrontexaco.com/technologyventures
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