Ashtech and Sokkia Corporation Announce Strategic Partnership; Sokkia to market private-label line of Ashtech survey and mapping products.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 1995--Ashtech, Inc., the leader in precision solutions for global positioning, today announced an agreement with Sokkia Corporation whereby Sokkia will market a private-label line of Ashtech-manufactured GPS products to the professional surveying and mapping markets through Sokkia's distribution channels in North, Central and South America.

Sokkia will be responsible for development of the distribution channels and will handle marketing, sales, support, training, and service for these private-label products. Ashtech will continue to sell their own products through their existing dealer channel, direct sales and government contracts.

The private-label products bearing Sokkia's logo will be available in December 1995. The new centimeter-accurate GSR2200 Dual-Frequency GPS receiver is designed for real-time, on-the-fly fast static and static applications. The new GSR2100 Dual-Frequency GPS receiver provides centimeter-level accuracy for fast static and static applications and is upgradeable to real-time operation. Other new geodetic products are the GSR1100, the GSR1000 C/A Code GPS receiver and the GSS1A Single-Frequency GPS surveying receiver and software. Additionally, Sokkia offers the SPECTRUMGIS GIS system. The combination of Ashtech private-label products and Sokkia-developed products will allow Sokkia to provide a complete family of GPS solutions for a variety of surveying, mapping and GIS applications.

The tremendous growth and acceptance of GPS technology in the surveying, mapping and GIS industries provides a strong foundation for this strategic partnership to be successful for both Sokkia and Ashtech.

"This agreement strengthens our position in the GPS market by allowing us to provide a family of application-specific GPS solutions," said Herbert C. Johnson, III, president and COO of Sokkia Corporation. "Sokkia has supplied quality and value to measurement professionals for the past 75 years. Today, our customers require a combination of surveying and GPS solutions to maximize productivity and efficiency. By joining forces with Ashtech, we are partnering with the leader in precision GPS technology. In combination with our focus on providing market-driven products, support and service to our customers, we are confident that this partnership will help position Sokkia as the complete source for measurement solutions."

"Sokkia's expertise in the survey and measurement industry, their commitment to quality service and their outstanding distribution channels make them the ideal surveying and mapping products partner for Ashtech," said Tom Hunter, vice president of sales. "As Ashtech continues to expand in other vertical market areas, Sokkia will increase and help preserve our core surveying business."

Ashtech, Inc., a telecommunications company, is the leading provider of precision solutions for global positioning. Incorporated in 1987, Ashtech manufactures and markets Global Positioning Systems (GPS) receiver systems and related subsystems. The company currently manufactures systems which utilize Navstar satellites to determine position and time information for users worldwide. Ashtech is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif. and maintains a European sales office in Oxford, England, as well as research and development facilities in Moscow. More than 60 international and domestic dealers represent Ashtech products worldwide. Ashtech's main number is [phone].

Sokkia Corporation is the United States subsidiary of Sokkia Co., Ltd. Tokyo, the world's largest manufacturer of surveying, measuring and data collection systems. The company maintains a nationwide network of dealers and distributors from its headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. In addition to its wholesale distribution, Sokkia Corporation operates the industry's largest network of factory-direct retail stores known as Sokkia Measuring Systems; stores are located in Minneapolis, Denver, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Sokkia products are marketed in Canada by Sokkia Inc.; Sokkia Central and South America markets to Mexico, Central and South America.

Sokkia Co., Ltd., founded in 1920, is represented around the world by more than 120 subsidiaries, representatives and agents. Its international range of business includes surveying and data collection systems, as well as precision measuring instruments in related industries such as industrial measurement and GPS.

CONTACT: Ashtech, Inc.

Sally Kenvin, 408/524-1460 or [e-mail]

or

Wilson McHenry Company

Greg Matz, 415/638-3400 or [e-mail]