OxLoc, Nacco Rail and Imerys Complete Trans-European Pilot

August 2003

OxLoc Ltd, a spin-out company from the University of Oxford, has announced their first successful pilot study within the rail freight industry. Imerys Minerals Ltd has used the OxLoc Asset Alert system to monitor their regular train of china clay minerals being transported from Cornwall, UK to Gamerlero, Italy in hopper wagons which are leased by Nacco (UK) Limited. Use of the OxLoc location based information services enabled both the wagon owner - Nacco Rail and the consigner - Imerys, to monitor the location of their wagons whilst in transit.

The study supports a growing need within the Rail industry to monitor the location and condition of un-powered assets including wagons and containers, in transit. "Existing scheduling systems may tell you where the wagon should be, but that is not necessarily where it is. As more companies transport freight across Europe monitoring the location of the freight becomes more difficult. The OxLoc solution has enabled Nacco the potential to offer a value added service to its Customers, allowing them to monitor location at all times," said Bernard McDonnell, UK General Manager for Nacco UK.

Derek Yeo, Imerys Minerals Freight Operations reports, "This is the first time that accurate, live information showing exact wagon position has been available. Information from the OxLoc system allows proactive management of both the wagon fleet and the delivery system."

As optimising fleet management operations become more important for operators, access to data for the location and condition of their goods whilst in transit is becoming a key requirement. OxLoc's unique solution means that operators can operate the system within the existing long-term maintenance schedules. "The Asset Alert differentiates itself by being a solution that is autonomous, low powered and discreet - so that it detracts from thieves, and most importantly one that can also support sensors so that the condition as well as location can be monitored," said Keith Dobson, OxLoc's CEO.

The results have been so successful that OxLoc Ltd is now in negotiations with other European rail operators who want a proven solution that can be deployed immediately. "By using the secure web based retrieval system customer can access the data including condition and location, from any office location as well as having the option to integrate into existing systems," said Susan Fox, OxLoc's Sales and Marketing Manager

Notes to Editors

Details of the study can be viewed at www.assetminder.co.uk. The username is wagondemo and the password is demo146

OxLoc Ltd
OxLoc is a spin-out company from the University of Oxford incorporated in December 2000, delivering products and solutions for remote data collection with global access. OxLoc's device combines GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and GSM (Global System Mobile Telecommunications) technology and allow movement information to be tracked and monitored via OxLoc's website at www.oxloc.com.

Nacco (UK) Ltd
Nacco owns and manages 4,000 rail cars which are leased to 150 shippers across 15 countries in Europe. Nacco are the largest privately held railcar lessor in Europe with its main office in Paris and others in the UK, Germany, Slovakia and Czech Republic. Further details can be found at www.naccorail.com

Imerys Mineral Ltd
Imerys Mineral Ltd formally known as Inmetal and English China Clays, are the world number 1 in raw materials for ceramics, European number 1 in ceramic bodies for tableware World number 1 in high-performance graphite. Further details can be found at www.imerys.com

Contact
Susan Fox
OxLoc Ltd
T +44 (0)1865 258622,
E press.office@oxloc.com
W www.oxloc.com