belt-mic® will soon be used in commercial vehicles
• Isringhausen fits out new seat platform with paragon technology
• Exclusive cooperation with international market leader
• More safety and comfort for hands-free communication in commercial vehicles
Delbrück, September 17, 2008 - paragon AG and Isringhausen GmbH have concluded an exclusive cooperation agreement for hands-free communication in commercial vehicles. Following the conclusion of a first serial contract for use in passenger cars (start of production September 2009), paragon's innovative belt-mic® belt microphone will also be installed in newly developed commercial vehicle driver seats in the future. The companies will present the results of their collaboration for the first time in Isringhausen's booth at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show from September 25 to October 2, 2008 in Hanover.
"This collaboration ideally combines the core competencies of both companies" explained paragon's CEO Klaus Dieter Frers. "Isringhausen's experience in seats for commercial vehicles and our technological leadership in electronics in the vehicle interior make it possible to meet the increased demand for comfort and safety in commercial vehicles," Frers was pleased to report concerning the breakthrough for the use of the belt-mic® in commercial vehicles.
paragon's belt-mic® belt microphone is one of a kind worldwide and will be used in Isringhausen's new seat platform "New Global Seat". High-quality microphone capsules integrated in the safety belt produce voice quality that so far has not been achieved in conventional hands-free microphones. Specially developed conductors transmit the voice signal to the vehicle's communications system via the belt end fitting. The increased speech recognition rate makes speech recognition systems significantly more reliable to use, for example in navigation applications.
The integration of belt-mic® into the driver seat and accordingly into the driver's immediate working environment makes an active contribution to safety. In addition to the belt microphone, paragon is also a capable development partner for the electrical control unit of the "New Global Seat". Improved haptics and function will set new standards for seat control in the commercial vehicle segment.
Isringhausen is the global specialist in development and production of innovative seating systems for commercial vehicles and technical springs. The seats, produced by the international market leader at 37 plants in 18 countries, are used worldwide in trucks, vans, buses and construction machines. With over 5,000 employees worldwide, Isringhausen develops and manufactures its tailor-made products for leading producers in the commercial vehicle industry. These include manufacturers such as DAF, DAIMLER AG, FIAT, ISUZU, IVECO, LDV, MAN, PACCAR, RENAULT, SCANIA, VOLKSWAGEN and VOLVO.
paragon AG is a direct supplier to the automotive industry and is listed on the Deutsche Börse Prime Standard index in Frankfurt/Main, Germany. The Company develops, manufactures, and markets innovative solutions in its Automotive (Cockpit Systems and Sensors/Actuators), Electronic Solutions divisions. Its product portfolio includes the world's leading AQS air quality sensor by far as well as hands-free speaking equipment and instrumentation systems. In addition to its headquarters in Delbrück, North Rhine-Westphalia, paragon also operates locations in Suhl, Thuringia, Cadolzburg, Bavaria, St. Georgen, Baden-Württemberg and Heidenheim, Baden-Württemberg. In the international arena, the paragon Group is represented by wholly-owned subsidiaries in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA and Osaka, Japan as well as sales offices in Paris, France and Turin, Italy. In fiscal 2007, the paragon Group generated sales totaling €108.9 million with a workforce of 594 employees.
paragon AG
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Phone.: +49 (0) 52 50 - 97 62 - 0
Fax: +49 (0) 52 50 - 97 62 - 60
Internet: www.paragon-online.de
E-Mail: info@paragon-online.de
Head of Corporate Communications
Matthias Hack
Phone: +49 (0) 52 50 - 97 62 - 141
Fax: +49 (0) 52 50 - 97 62 - 60
E-Mail: matthias.hack@paragon-online.de
Corporate Communications
Marc Götte
Phone: +49 (0) 52 50 - 97 62 - 161
Fax: +49 (0) 52 50 - 97 62 - 60
E-Mail: marc.goette@paragon-online.de