ADS Tech Launches Central, Eastern European Operations; Company Taps Industry Veteran from Pinnacle Systems to Expand Channel Relationships, Sales in Rapidly Growing Market.

CERRITOS, Calif. -- ADS Tech (www.adstech.com), the industry's leading producer of hardware/software products for audio/video and home entertainment, today announced plans to aggressively expand sales and service in Central and Eastern Europe with the opening of a new German office in Munich. Heading the new organization will be Armin Fendrich who was most recently regional director for Pinnacle Systems in the area.

A 15-year veteran of the PC and video industry, Fendrich was instrumental in dramatically increasing the sales and product mix for Compaq in Europe and later in increasing Pinnacle's sales and penetration in the consumer and professional videography arena. In the new German-based ADS Tech operation, Fendrich will be responsible for establishing the company's sales and service organization in the country's rapidly growing videography and home entertainment market as well as in neighboring Central and Eastern European countries.

"The opening of our German operation by Armin highlights the increased importance we are placing on expanding our European presence by finding the best people in the area's industry," said Michael McCoy, ADS Tech President. "We are committed to giving these seasoned professionals the products and support they need to meet the customers' video, audio and home entertainment needs."

McCoy noted that last year, ADS Tech established its first European office in Paris which is headed by Pinnacle veteran, Tawfik Djafari. "While many of our competitors struggled to remain profitable in the French and southern European market, we increased sales more than 200 percent and doubled our marketshare," he emphasized. "We are very confident that Armin will help us achieve similar results in the robust German market."

Before joining ADS Tech, Fendrich significantly grew Pinnacle's video product sales and market share and successfully integrated the products and sales and marketing teams of Steinberg and VOB, both companies were acquired by Pinnacle. Prior to Pinnacle, Fendrich held a variety of business development and product marketing positions with Compaq Computer prior to the acquisition by Hewlett-Packard.

"Europe has been one of our most successful global regions," McCoy commented. "We have tailored a number of our videography and entertainment products to the special requirements and needs of the areas professionals and consumers. Now the market demand and competitive environment is right for us to expand our product, service and support programs to increase our customer satisfaction and marketshare.

"By increasing our direct French and German presence," he continued, "we will be able to have more direct product inputs from our channel partners and customers. In many ways, Europeans are more rapidly adopting new technology for their audio and video entertainment; and we intend to develop and deliver unique, feature-rich video, audio and entertainment products to these customers as quickly as possible. With seasoned professionals heading up the two organizations, we are confident we will be in a stronger position to meet the global needs of consumers to save and share their audio and video memories."

At the recent CES and Macworld conferences, ADS Tech unveiled a number of new wired and wireless home entertainment, music and video products for Mac and PC users. McCoy added that ADS Tech will also be introducing new products at CeBIT in Hanover that will meet the specific needs of European digital TV viewers as well as modular media server and audio/video content distribution devices that incorporate the firm's me(2) (Media Entertainment Evolution) compatibility technology. The technology provides consumers with the assurance that the devices they use to capture TV shows, photos, music and movies on their PC will work with other products displaying the me(2) logo.

All of the necessary business and incorporation documents have been filed with the German government and Fendrich has already been contacting the company's present distribution and retailers in Germany and Eastern Europe from the ADS Tech office in Munich, Mobile Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone], Email: [e-mail].

About ADS Technologies

ADS Technologies is a world leader in Universal Serial Bus and IEEE-1394/FireWire solutions. Since 1992, the company has introduced high-quality multimedia, networking and presentation products at consumer-friendly prices. The company's award-winning USB product line includes eleven complementary peripherals, and its USB Port for Desktops is the world's best-selling USB PCI host card. PYRO 1394DV, the first consumer-priced digital video editing solution on the PC market, has been widely adopted by owners of digital video camcorders for its ease-of-use for first time DV editors, its functionality and its low cost.

ADS Technologies' products are distributed by Ingram Micro in the United States, Canada and Europe. ADS Technologies' products are available in nearly 3,000 consumer electronic and computer retail stores and through OEM private label customers around the world who market ADS Technologies products under their own brand name. ADS Germany, Central Europe can be reached at Mobile Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone], Email: [e-mail]. ADS France, Southern Europe can be reached at Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]. For more information, visit http://www.ADStech.com or call 800.888.5244.