Thales Canada orders up 18%

Maintains steady growth in challenging year.

TORONTO, March 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Thales Canada, a trusted manufacturer and supplier of safety and mission critical systems to the Transportation, Defence, and Aerospace sectors in Canada and internationally, reported today that 2012 contract awards amounted to over $570M¹, an 18% growth year- over- year.

"Again this year Thales Canada exceeded its growth targets winning new business in key emerging markets and increasing our order levels in existing domestic and international markets," said Paul Kahn, President and CEO of Thales Canada. "Hyderabad will be the first city in India to apply Thales Communications-Based Train Control technology to its metro line, opening the door to many more opportunities in that country; and we secured our second driver-less system in Brazil."

"In defence & security we maintained our position as the key developer of Army command and control software, as well as the number one supplier of uncooled optronics systems to the Canadian military," added Kahn. "We also strengthened our R&D capabilities and will focus our efforts on cyber security, information fusion, social network analysis, and modeling and simulation."

"With a strong order backlog and a solid pipeline of opportunities both domestic and international in urban rail signalling and electronic systems integration for the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard, Thales Canada plans to continue its development in 2013," Kahn added.

Thales Canada 2012 awards and milestones: Transportation:

• Secured a communications-based train control (CBTC) project in India - Hyderabad Metro's
• Lines 1, 2 and 3. The line will be a fully automated moving block system using Thales' world- leading SelTrac® CBTC.
• Awarded the contract to provide a SelTrac® signalling solution for Vancouver's driver-less Evergreen Line, the fourth SkyTrain line operation with our technology.
• Awarded a contract to supply a fully automated SelTrac® CBTC solution for Kuala Lumpur's Ampang Line.
• Awarded contract for massive Singapore metro re-signalling project of the North-South, East- West line.
• Secured second driver-less CBTC project in Brazil - the Manaus Monorail.
• Won the tender to resignal the Walt Disney Monorail in Orlando Florida.

¹ Including sales generated with other Thales subsidiaries

Defence and Security:

• Renewed our contract to deliver on the multi-year software development and support contract for Army & Joint command and control system.
• Awarded a significant subcontract for the delivery of uncooled optronics technology to be applied to 409 modernized Canadian Army LAV III combat vehicles.

Avionics:

• Thales' Flight Control Electronics solution is on board Gulfstream's new G650 business jet; Gulfstream receives flight worthiness certification for the ultra-long range G650 business jet from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Research and Technology:

• Inaugurated new Thales Research and Technology Canada centre in Quebec City, the fifth of Thales' R&D facilities in the world and the first in North America.

About Thales

Thales is a global technology leader for the Defence & Security and the Aerospace & Transport markets. In 2012, the company generated revenues of €14.2 billion (equivalent of $ 18.3 billion CAD) with 67,000 employees in 56 countries. With its 25,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers and local partners. www.thalesgroup.com

Thales Canada has 1,300 employees in Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Order intake from Thales operations in Canada exceeded $570 million (CAD) for 2012, in urban rail systems solutions, civil avionics, and defence & security technology products and services. www.thalesgroup.com/canada

SOURCE: Thales Canada

Conrad Bellehumeur, Vice President External Relations
613 723-7000 ext. 4237021
[email protected]