VLH Controls Wins French-American Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco ``Booster'' Award for Most Promising Start-Up; Company's First Voice-Controlled Device Initiation Systems Designed for Noisy Factory Floor Environments.

SAN FRANCISCO -- VLH Controls, Inc., an emerging provider of voice command device initiation systems for the manufacturing industry, today announced it has been awarded first place in the San Francisco French-American Chamber of Commerce Booster Program for start-up companies. The award was granted to Howard Green, president of VLH Controls, by a judging panel of venture capitalists, which included lawyers, venture capital investors, business consultants and entrepreneurs.

VLH Controls develops wireless voice-controlled operating systems that improve safety and productivity for operators on the shop floor in noisy manufacturing environments. The award was given at the culmination of an 8-week series workshop program sponsored by the French-American Chamber of Commerce for start-up companies seeking venture funding. The winner received a monetary award and an interview with a venture firm.

According to Carole Granade, executive director of the French-American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco, VLH Controls was chosen because it had the most viable business plan of all the participants. "The venture capitalists were asked to judge the companies on their strategic vision, marketing plans and company viability. In other words, which companies would they be most likely to invest in? VLH Controls developed the company and plan that earned the win."

The program is based on the HEC Entrepreneurs program developed by Robert Papin at one of the leading business schools in Europe, Hautes Etudes Commerciales, Paris, and is designed to help emerging companies finesse their strategic business plans to a level that will meet with acceptance by funding entities. Four start-up companies participated in the full program. Sponsors included Celerity Fund, Ropers, Majeski Kohn & Bentley, and Silicon Valley Technopole.

VLH Controls software was designed after extensive research and testing within the factory environment. The Active Listening Voice Command System (ALVC) built by VLH Controls is designed to transmit an operator's voice commands into machine instructions. Operators indicate that they are less tired at the end of the day and have less down-time. In addition, using simple voice commands doesn't draw their attention away from operating the manufacturing equipment to push buttons, watch a PC screen, or stand off-balance to trigger a foot pedal. Costs are saved by fewer accidents, lower workmen's compensation claims from repetitive stress injuries and reduced scrap.

The San Francisco Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) is a non-profit, member driven organization dedicated to serving the needs of the French-American business community throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Through numerous networking programs and events in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, members benefit from the opportunity to exchange ideas with other high-level professionals in a wide variety of fields with business relations in both France and the United States. Regrouping more than 175 members, the San Francisco Chapter is the principal forum in Northern California for French and American business leaders to meet and discuss common interests.

A privately owned corporation based in San Jose, California, VLH Controls was founded in March 2005 to provide voice command device initiation systems for manufacturing industries. The company's system is on display at the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show in Chicago, booth 3106, from Nov. 13-16, 2005. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.vlhcontrols.com.