NOIDA
OCTOBER 9, 2006

Network Programs (India) (NPI), an innovator in convergence network solutions that integrate four advanced technologies -- radio frequency identification (RFID), SmartCards, biometric and telematics systems (collectively, 4T) – announces an RFID solution partnership with Brooks Automation, a US-NASDAQ listed company with a German based RFID Division.

As part of the agreement, NPI will resell Brooks RFID solutions in India and other South Asian markets. The cross-industry partnership targets the development of 4T add-on applications on top of Brooks equipment. In addition, as a member of the Brooks RFID Partner Network, NPI will enable Brooks equipment on its RFID middleware, SmartFlo.

Commenting on the benefits of the Brooks agreement, Vipin Tyagi, President and CEO, Network Programs states, "The Indian RFID market is poised for tremendous growth as the technology matures and India Inc realises the economic value and productivity potential of these solutions. Brooks Automation is a driving force behind manufacturing efficiency, and we are excited to engage with them to customise RFID and tracking solutions for the India market."

While many have ventured into RFID deployments in the recent past, Brook's RFID Division has more than 10 years of RFID deployment experience in mission critical manufacturing environments. Brooks provides best-in-class tracking and ID solutions based on industry standards. According to Harald Buchmann, Managing Director at Brooks Automation's RFID Division, "The RFID market in India has tremendous potential. As India Inc. becomes more aware of the potential of RFID solutions, we anticipate demand to skyrocket.  As India's manufacturing capacity increases and matures, RFID solutions will create huge benefit and value by streamlining the supply chain and assembly process. We are excited about working with Network Programs, as they are a leader in RFID technology and solutions."

Network Programs' SmartFlo middleware platform provides network administrators with a flexible and scaleable solution that interfaces legacy applications with 4T networks and solutions. SmartFlo enables organisations to link existing applications, such as attendance, inventory, human resources and finance systems, to new technologies through standardised data exchanges or customised translation programs for 4T applications.  SmartFlo combines a sophisticated element management with a dynamic workflow engine that allows a high degree of flexibility to configure and scale the systems. The platform is a robust framework for integrating various identification devices on a single network where application logic can be changed without affecting the code for reading or writing to devices.

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