European Launch for ATEX-certified Radios for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres

Kanagawa, Japan, December 21, 2009 — KENWOOD Corporation has announced the European launch in the middle of December 2009, of new professional radios that have been approved in accordance with ATEX Directive 94/9/EC regulating the manufacture and quality control of equipment designed for use in potentially explosive atmospheres within EU countries. These radios also conform to the IECEx standards set by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) for equipment to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Device	Model	Launch	Region
VHF FM Transceiver	TK-2260EX	Mid-December	Europe
UHF FM Transceiver	TK-3260EX	Mid-December	Europe

KENWOOD — the company and its products

Ever since its establishment, KENWOOD has been developing its communications business. By leveraging its unique radio frequency technologies and advanced expertise, the company has now won the second largest share of the global market for professional transceivers, its core products.

A professional radio has an advantage over the mobile phone in that it provides immediate and reliable communications to a whole team or group. This means that there is a stable demand for such equipment among public safety professionals, such as police and fire-fighters, as well as in a wide range of businesses and industries, including hotels and factories.

Professional transceivers can provide essential communications on sites where there is a potentially explosive atmosphere. This includes oil refineries, gas and chemical plants, sewage treatment plants, landfills, spray painting facilities, biogas plants, pharmaceutical factories, flour mills, timber and metalworking facilities, quarries and mines. It is imperative to ensure the safety of workers at these sites, but a general-purpose radio can ignite an explosive atmosphere. Employers require radios that are specially engineered to eliminate such risks. Furthermore, strict regulations have been established in many countries regarding the use of equipment in such environments, and it is only permissible to use devices that are properly certified.

To satisfy these market requirements KENWOOD has drawn on its considerable expertise in developing the new TK-2260EX/3260EX for launch in Europe. Incorporating advanced design features, these transceivers have meet high quality control standards. Having passed the stringent specific safety requirements of the ATEX directive and the IECEx standards, these products can be used in potentially explosive atmospheres as specified by the legislation.

Included within the European CE marking directives (which regulate the free distribution of products within Europe), ATEX Directive 94/9/EC has been in force since July 2003. It applies to both electrical and non-electrical devices, machinery and equipment intended for use in environments where flammable liquids, vapours, gases or combustible dusts are likely to occur in quantities sufficient to cause a fire or explosion. It also stipulates strict quality control procedures — covering every stage from design through to sales — to be implemented by the equipment manufacturer.

Whereas the ATEX directive applies only to EU member states and EFTA countries, IECEx certification for equipment to be used in explosive (Ex) atmospheres is one of the IEC schemes aimed at worldwide standardization. KENWOOD is planning to expand sales to countries outside the European Union, so it has also acquired IECEx certification. The accessories already available for use with these radios — battery pack, antennas, and belt clip and leather case — are also ATEX and IECEx approved. A speaker microphone is scheduled for certification in the near future.

In the process of acquiring ATEX/IECEx certification, KENWOOD was subject to stringent factory inspections to confirm that it maintains advanced QC.

These new radios have been certified for the following ATEX classes:

• Gas : II 2G Ex ib II C T4
• Dust : II 2D Ex tD ibD A21 IP6x T110ºC
• Mining : I M2 Ex ib I

As these radios are designed to be used in a variety of hazardous environments and situations, they also offer multiple functions for sending alerts to a base station and/or to other workers in an emergency.

KENWOOD is considering expanding sales to North America and Asia, in addition to Europe. Aiming to achieve a qualitative expansion into the field of system solutions, the company will further develop its business infrastructure to serve as the basis for rapid growth in the years ahead.