National Technical Systems Signs Business Alliance With RF Exposure Lab

CALABASAS, Calif., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- National Technical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTSC) (NTS), a leading provider of testing and engineering services, announced today that it has signed an exclusive business alliance with RF Exposure Lab LLC to provide radio frequency (RF) safety testing services at NTS' Silicon Valley test laboratories.  The addition of these new services, which are offered only by certified wireless labs, adds an essential component to the NTS wireless solutions portfolio and provides a single-source testing and certification solution for wireless device manufacturers worldwide.

RF Exposure Lab, based in San Marcos, CA, is a leading provider of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) testing and certification services which are FCC requirements for various types of hand-held wireless devices (such as cell phones and PDAs) sold for usage in the US.  Similar regulatory requirements for these devices exist in most major foreign markets as well. 

Under the agreement, RF Exposure Lab will provide the test equipment and technical training required for NTS Silicon Valley to provide SAR testing and certification services to its extensive customer base of wireless device manufacturers around the world. Once the SAR system is fully installed, annual service fees could reach as high as $1 million, according to NTS estimates, and will be split equally between NTS and RF Exposure Lab.

"The addition of these new RF safety services combined with our existing wireless testing and certifications portfolio and our in-house FCC Telecommunications Certification Body makes NTS the obvious go-to choice for wireless device manufacturers both large and small," said William McGinnis, President and CEO of NTS. "Adding these RF services is yet another step forward in our strategy to diversify our capabilities in line with the demand from our customers, in this case the rapidly-expanding wireless services market."

With the ever-increasing proliferation of wireless technologies extending into new applications in consumer and industrial markets, the NTS portfolio of wireless service offerings is an expanding area of the Company's business, McGinnis added. 

Silicon Valley is the established epicenter for hi-tech innovation within the wireless industry and home to many of the largest companies in the wireless market sector, providing a broad and deep customer base for these new RF safety testing and certification services offered by NTS.

About RF Exposure Lab

RF Exposure Lab, LLC is a privately owned independent A2LA Accredited SAR testing facility located in Southern California and one of only eight SAR testing labs in the US. It provides radio frequency device manufacturers and existing FCC test laboratories with a testing and certified report laboratory.

About National Technical Systems

National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS) is a leading provider of testing and engineering services to the aerospace, defense, telecommunications, automotive and high technology markets. Through a world-wide network of resources, NTS provides full product life-cycle support, offering world class design engineering, compliance, testing, certification, quality registration and program management. For additional information about NTS, visit the Company's website at www.nts.com or call 800-270-2516.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with uncertainties pertaining to customer orders, demand for services and products, development of markets for the Company's services and products and other risks identified in the Company's SEC filings.  Actual results, events and performance may differ materially and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.  The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding National Technical Systems' 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.

SOURCE National Technical Systems, Inc.