SPRINGBORO, Ohio, Nov. 4, 2003--
The growing hybrid electric vehicle and stationary
power markets will now be better served with the commissioning
of Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems' new production plant
in Springboro, Ohio, near Dayton.
The only manufacturing plant of
its kind in the U.S., construction of the Texaco Ovonic
Battery Systems facility began in October 2002. It
features 170,000 square feet of manufacturing space,
which is twice the size of the plant it replaces in
nearby Kettering, Ohio. State-of-the art manufacturing
equipment is now in place at the Springboro plant,
with a future annual production capacity estimated
at 1.2 million battery modules when fully equipped.
Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems
L.L.C. is a 50-50 joint venture between a subsidiary
of ChevronTexaco Corp. (NYSE: CVX) and a subsidiary
of Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: ENER).
Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems is helping to bring
advanced nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries into
widespread commercial production for transportation
and stationary applications.
Thomas S. Neslage, President and
Chief Operating Officer of Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems,
said, "The achievement of QS 9000 certification and
ISO 14000 certification is an important milestone
in our business strategy. We are demonstrating that
our goal at Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems is to deliver
advanced high quality system solutions that offer
value and reliability. In fact, some of the first
modules from the plant will be delivered to the new
Energy Center facility under construction by Grand
Valley State University in Muskegon, Mich. The University
has selected our (TM)
80 kilowatt hour energy storage solution which will
be used for peak shaving and load leveling. The planned
installation of this solution is timely given the
recent power interruptions experienced in the Northeast."
David Garman, Assistant Secretary
for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department
of Energy, commented, "We are very pleased to see
that Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems has completed its
state-of-the-art Ovonic� nickel metal hydride battery
manufacturing facility in Ohio. The products from
this facility can play a key role in reaching the
vision embodied in the President's National Energy
Policy and increasing energy diversity."
About Texaco Ovonic Battery
Systems:
Headquartered in Troy, Mich., Texaco Ovonic Battery
Systems L.L.C., a 50-50 joint venture between ECD
Ovonics and a subsidiary of ChevronTexaco Corp., was
formed in July 2001 to commercialize Ovonic� NiMH
battery technology for transportation applications
such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), electric vehicles
(EV), heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) and high-voltage (36-42)
automotive electrical systems for future gasoline-powered
automobiles. It is also focused on battery applications
for various stationary power and telecommunications
markets. For more information about Texaco Ovonic
Battery Systems visit http://www.txobattery.com/.
About ECD Ovonics:
ECD Ovonics is the leader in the synthesis of new
materials and the development of advanced production
technology and innovative products. It has invented,
pioneered and developed enabling technologies in the
fields of energy and information leading to new products
and production processes based on amorphous, disordered
and related materials. ECD Ovonics' proprietary advanced
information technologies include Ovonic� phase-change
electrical memory, Ovonic� phase-change optical memory
and the Ovonic� Threshold Switch. The Company's portfolio
of alternative energy solutions include thin-film
amorphous solar cells, modules, panels and systems
for generating solar electric power; NiMH batteries;
hydride storage materials capable of storing hydrogen
in the solid state for use as a feedstock for fuel
cells or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement
or replacement for any type of hydrocarbon fuel; and
fuel cell technology. ECD Ovonics designs and builds
manufacturing machinery that incorporates its proprietary
production processes, maintains ongoing research and
development programs to continually improve its products
and develops new applications for its technologies.
ECD Ovonics holds the basic patents in its fields.
More information is available at http://www.ovonic.com/.
About ChevronTexaco Corp:
Based in San Ramon, Calif., ChevronTexaco Corp. is
the second-largest U.S.-based energy company and the
fifth largest in the world, based on market capitalization.
Approximately 52,000 ChevronTexaco employees work
in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing
crude oil and natural gas, and marketing fuels and
other energy products. In addition to supplying global
energy, ChevronTexaco is involved in numerous advanced
clean energy and fuel technologies. ChevronTexaco,
through ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures, pursues
commercialization of a broad spectrum of energy related
technologies and is an active venture capital investor.
Commercialization and investment activities include
development of hydrogen generation and storage systems,
hydrogen infrastructure and other energy storage technology
such as advanced batteries. Texaco Ovonic Battery
Systems is one of the joint ventures managed by this
unit, through the subsidiary Texaco Energy Systems
L.L.C. For more information about ChevronTexaco Technology
Ventures visit http://www.chevrontexaco.com/technologyventures.com/.
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Contacts:
Ray Wagner, Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems
Ghazaleh Koefod, ECD Ovonics
Jennifer Silva, ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures
Nadia Jamshidi, McGrath Power
(Media contact for ECD Ovonics)
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— (248) 637-7404
— (248) 293-0440
— (713) 954-6803
— (408) 727-0351
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This press release may contain
a number of forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular,
any statements made concerning ChevronTexaco's, ECD
Ovonics' and Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems' expected
performance and financial results in future periods
are based upon ChevronTexaco's, ECD Ovonics' and Texaco
Ovonic Battery Systems' current expectations and beliefs
and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking
statements. The following factors known to ChevronTexaco,
ECD Ovonics, and Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems, among
others, could cause their actual results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking
statements:inaccurate scientific data; mechanical,
chemical and technological failures; decreased demand
for alternative fuels and other products; above or
below-average product and technology demands; worldwide
and industry economic conditions; higher costs, expenses
and interest rates; the outcome of pending and future
litigation and governmental proceedings; continued
availability of financing; and strikes and other industrial
disputes. In addition, you are encouraged to review
ChevronTexaco's and ECD Ovonics' latest reports filed
with the SEC, including but not limited to ChevronTexaco's
and ECD Ovonics' Annual Report on Form 10-K, which
describe a number of additional risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to vary materially
from those listed in the forward-looking statements
made in this press release.
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