Scan-Optics, Inc. Receives Order From Howtek, Inc.

Business Editors

MANCHESTER, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2000

Scan-Optics, Inc. (Nasdaq National Market: SOCR), a leader in high volume document processing systems and information management solutions, today announced that its Manufacturing Services Division has received an order from Howtek, Inc. (Nasdaq National Market: HOWT), to manufacture Howtek's HiResolve 8000 drum scanner. The order calls for 114 units to be delivered at a rate of 12-15 units per month and is worth approximately $1 million. Howtek, Inc., based in Hudson, New Hampshire, is a leader in the desktop scanning market with one of the largest installed bases of desktop drum scanners. These scanners are used in the graphic design industry to deliver high output resolution for images that can be enlarged for brochures, advertisements and posters. They also manufacture and distribute both drum and flatbed scanners for the life sciences and medical x-ray markets.

Scott Parr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Howtek, stated, "We are delighted to partner with Scan-Optics to produce these drum scanners. As a leader in this market, we are proud of our reputation for establishing industry standards. Scan-Optics shares this same commitment to quality and we look forward to working with them." Joseph Crouch, Vice President of Manufacturing Services for Scan-Optics, stated, "We are proud to have been selected to work with a company that is so well known for its innovation, quality and leadership in this industry."

Howtek designs, engineers, and manufactures digital image scanners, film digitizers and related software for applications in the medical imaging, graphic arts, and photographic markets. Additional information is available at www.howtek.com.

Scan-Optics, Inc., with headquarters in Manchester, Connecticut, is recognized internationally as an innovator and solution provider in the information management and imaging business. It designs, manufactures and services products and systems for character recognition, image processing and display, data capture, data entry, and multi-user business computers. Scan-Optics systems and software are marketed worldwide to commercial and government customers directly and through distributors. Through its Manufacturing Services Division, Scan-Optics also provides contract manufacturing services to customers, outsourcing the manufacturing of complex, electro-mechanical assemblies. The Company has sales and service offices located throughout the United States and abroad. Additional information is available at www.scanoptics.com.

Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" made under safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could materially affect future results. Among these risk factors are changes in general economic and business conditions in the United States and foreign markets, which impact capital investments by customers, the cyclical nature of funding within federal and state government agencies, further adverse changes in the Company's banking relationship, insufficient cash resources, increased competition from similar products, the implementation of other technologies which may provide alternative solutions, ability to complete projects in a timely manner, and other risk factors and cautionary statements listed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.