FARO Leads CAM2 Sector With International E-Commerce Initiative

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LAKE MARY, Fla., May 22 /PRNewswire/ -- FARO Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: FARO), the leading provider of Computer-Aided Manufacturing Measurement (CAM2), today announced the release of its five-language Web site with an interactive electronic product catalog. Fully functional in English, German, Spanish, French, and Japanese, http://www.faro.com/ appeals to engineering, manufacturing and quality-control personnel who use dimensional measurements to inspect, report and control processes within their design and manufacturing parameters.

(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000522/FLM035)

FARO's President and CEO Simon Raab said, "FARO has begun an initiative to be the first CAM2 company to migrate its high-tech 'bricks-and-mortar' business to the web as a business-to-business provider for Manufacturing Quality Control data." FARO's plans also include a move towards becoming an Application Service Provider for customized manufacturing quality controls.

"FARO's focus in every department is being redirected to meet the needs of this new business model," Raab said. Research and Development has been diverted to web product delivery tools. Other departments are being reformulated for e-based delivery.

To begin this business-to-business initiative, FARO has opened a new multilingual Web site with an electronic product catalog that provides Web site visitors with an automated "e-quoting" tool. Prior to the new FARO Web site, measurement products could not be custom-selected by application need and quoted through the Internet.

"The multilingual electronic product catalog is only the first of several steps we expect to take in enhancing our e-commerce capabilities," said Simon Raab, President and Chief Executive Officer. "While this permits us to sell our existing products through this new medium, we are most excited with our new products designed for the web, which are currently being prepared for introduction this quarter. Further, by the third quarter we expect our interactive customer service and application engineering site to be fully functional supporting our four thousand installations worldwide."

FARO's products are used worldwide by a wide variety of manufacturing companies, both large and small. With strong year-over-year foreign sales growth of more than 110 percent, 58 percent, and 20 percent in 1997, 1998 and 1999 respectively, FARO Technologies, Inc. took the 2000 award for "Exporter of the Year" from the Metro Orlando International Affairs Commission.

FARO Technologies, Inc. and its international subsidiaries are pioneers and market leaders in the CAM2 market. FARO's product line includes portable, 3D, measurement equipment, a broad range of CAD-based inspection software for portable and fixed-base coordinate measurement machines, as well as factory- level statistical process control and manufacturing consulting services. FARO's products play a key role in the worldwide trend toward CAD-based total quality management for shortened production cycles and for the reduction in scrap and rework.

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding FARO's objectives, expectations, hopes, intentions, beliefs or strategies regarding the future, are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include but are not limited to:

    * Inability of the Company's products to attain broad market acceptance
    * Lack of customer acceptance of the Company's internet-based sale
      initiatives
    * Foreign exchange fluctuation
    * The impact of competitive products and pricing
    * Uncertainties in patent enforcement or the protection of other
      proprietary rights
    * Dependence on Simon Raab and Gregory A. Fraser and other key personnel
    * The cyclical nature of the industries of the Company's customers
    * The other risks detailed in the Company's 10-K report and other filings
    from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements in this release represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
SOURCE FARO Technologies, Inc.
Web site: http: //www.faro.com
Photo: NewsCom: http: //www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000522/FLM035 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467
CONTACT: Sarah Duey, Marketing Communications Coordinator, FARO Technologies, Inc., 800-736-0234, or dueys@faro.com; or Robin Kovaleski, Vice President, Tucker-Hall, 813-228-0652, or rkovaleski@tuckerhall.com, for FARO Technologies, Inc.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding FARO Technologies Inc's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.