Ashley Stewart, Ltd. to implement Sensormatic's apparel source tagging program.

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 1996--Sensormatic Electronics Corp. (SRM:NYSE) today announced that that Ashley Stewart, Ltd., will implement an apparel source source tagging program using the Ultra-Max(R) electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology.

Ashley Stewart, Ltd. is a privately held company located in Secaucus, NJ. The company operates 25 stores in the Northeast and Midwest specializing in women's fashionable career and casual wear in plus sizes.

Ashley Stewart is the second U.S. retailer to implement an apparel source tagging program with Sensormatic. Apparel source tagging is the process of incorporating brand identification or care labels which contain the Ultra-Max anti-shoplifting technology directly into garments during the manufacturing process. The Ultra-Max apparel source tag is the result of Sensormatic's joint development programs with Paxar Corp. (PXR:NYSE). Paxar is a leading manufacturer of apparel identification products.

"We are excited about being on the forefront of apparel technology. Source tagging will allow Ashley Stewart to remain ahead of its competition by increasing distribution efficiencies and providing effective security," said Peter Lockhart, loss prevention director at Ashley Stewart. "Apparel source tagging is especially important to a growing company such as Ashley Stewart. Reducing our overall expenses will increase our profitability. More importantly, precious capital can be allocated to building new stores and supporting our growth."

Ashley Stewart currently uses Ultra-Max in all of its stores. Many of its locations are in high crime areas, and virtually all of the merchandise is currently being tagged at the store level. The company is implementing source tagging to educe labor expenditures related to the protection of its apparel line.

Because intimate apparel has always been difficult to protect with traditional hard tags, Ashley Stewart will be using an Ultra-Max apparel source tag on these items to improve merchandise presentation, security and comfort to the customer while trying on the garment before purchase.

"We expect satisfaction to improve since our clients will feel more comfortable when trying on our garments, especially intimate apparel." said Hilda Conrad, senior executive buyer for Ashley Stewart.

The company will also implement a program with denim, since this is a high volume category, reducing the labor associated with tag application. Ashley Stewart will immediately begin working with its key vendors in these areas to implement this program chain-wide. Other merchandise categories will be protected as well.

"Ashley Stewart will reap significant benefits through apparel source tagging. Merchandise can be placed on the floor immediately, increasing the number of potential inventory turns, without the expense associated with protecting merchandise at the store level," stated Dennis Gillette, Sensormatic's senior vice president of Worldwide Source Tagging Programs.

Benefits of apparel source tagging are: -- Reduced labor cost associated with in-store application of a hard

tag. -- The ability to implement a Floor-Ready-Merchandise (FRM) program,

whereby merchandise can be placed on the selling floor

immediately instead of in a staging area for tagging. -- Capital expenditure savings and reduced depreciation expenses

derived by replacing the traditional hard tag with apparel source

tag. -- The benefits of Ultra-Max's high detection rate, 100 percent

deactivation and false alarm free performance. Ultra-Max also

protects against foil-lined theft - a traditional shoplifting 

method in the apparel market.

"We will be able to sesamlessly integrate the apparel source tagging program into Ashley Stewart's apparel sourcing operations," remarked Victor Hershaft, president of Paxar. "Paxar's global presence allows us to be close to the point of manufacture, and to quickly and accurately deliver apparel source tags to a manufacturer anywhere in the world."

Sensormatic, founded in 1966, currently does business in more than 70 countries and has more than 350,000 systems installed worldwide.

Sensormatic Electronics Corporation, the world leader in electronic security and the Official Electronic Security Supplier of the 1996 Olympic Games, is a fully integrated supplier of electronic security to the retail, gaming, commercial and industrial marketplaces. Sensormatic is also a leader in the security industry in integrated source tagging - a process where consumer goods manufacturers apply anti-theft tags at the point of packaging or manufacturing.

The company's electronic article surveillance (EAS), closed-circuit television (CCTV) and exception monitoring systems are used by both soft goods and hard goods retailers to deter shoplifting and internal theft.

Sensormatic's CCTV, access control and electronic asset protection (EAP) security systems are used by retail, commercial and industrial customers to protect assets, information and people. All of the company's products are marketed by an extensive worldwide sales and service organization complemented by a broad distribution network.

CONTACT: Cohn & Wolfe

Cam Granstra, [phone]

or

Sensormatic

Lee Pernice, [phone]