Sixnet - Solutions for today's industrial networking challenges

Delivers More Speed and Flexibility for Backup or Primary Wireless Connectivity

York, Pa. – April 10, 2012 – Sixnet, a Red Lion Business, today announced the availability of Long Term Evolution (LTE) support for its EnterprisePro™ cellular routers. Effective immediately, LTE support provides customers with faster 4G wireless connectivity as well as the flexibility of backwards compatibility to 3G and 2G networks. This new offering is ideal for small and mid-sized organizations that are looking for increased speeds when using cellular technology for primary or WAN backup connectivity.

The EnterprisePro series enables customers to seamlessly use USB sticks to take advantage of LTE wireless broadband technology. This functionality is currently compatible with LTE networks from Verizon and will also work with AT&T, Sprint, Bell Mobility, Telus and Rogers later this year. Often referred to as 4G (fourth generation) technology, LTE provides faster speeds and increased bandwidth to better support landline back-up, video surveillance or any application that requires Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities.

“More organizations are using network-based applications and data to run business-critical operations, so having LTE support gives customers the advantage of greater speeds and more flexibility when using cellular technology to access information,” said Mahesh Patel, director of wireless offer management at Red Lion Controls. “Our cellular routers, when combined with LTE, give businesses with remote locations, a strong solution for primary WAN backup connections. This helps to keep network-based operations, and day-to-day business, running smoothly.”

Sixnet’s EnterprisePro cellular routers provide cost-effective broadband connectivity, a robust enterprise level feature set and remote management capabilities generally found on only the most advanced platforms. With standards-based TCP/IP protocols (OSPF, BGP, RIP) and VPN support for IPSec, SSL, and redundancy via VRRP, EnterprisePro routers also offer a fully configurable stateful firewall, out-of-band management support and can be fully managed by Red Lion’s SixView Manager™ software.

About Sixnet

Sixnet, a Red Lion business, provides innovative machine-to-machine (M2M) industrial networking solutions that integrate wireless, automation and switching technologies to better serve customers and markets worldwide. Sixnet’s flexible solutions enable organizations to cost-effectively increase business productivity. By integrating powerful enterprise-class networking with rugged reliability, Sixnet meets the standards of the most demanding applications in industries such as power & energy, banking & retail, transportation, video & security, utilities, military, mobile data, maritime and more. Based in Ballston Lake, NY, the company has offices across North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.sixnet.com/.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Experienced Sales and Finance Executives Continue Global Expansion Momentum

York, Pa. – April 3, 2012 – Red Lion Controls, the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation, today announced that it has expanded its management team with the appointments of Subrata Guha as executive vice president of sales and Michael Evelhoch as vice president of finance.

“Subrata and Mike bring a wide range of skills and industry experience to Red Lion as we continue to expand our global operations,” said Mike Granby, president of Red Lion Controls. “We are looking forward to utilizing their expertise to continue integrating our sales and finance teams to support the acquisitions of both N-Tron and Sixnet. This will help to further maximize our potential as one, unified Red Lion organization.”

Subrata brings more than twenty years of experience in sales, strategic planning and channel development to Red Lion, as well as extensive knowledge of mergers and acquisitions. Previously, as vice president of sales for Sixnet, he was a key player in driving the company’s growth prior to its acquisition by Red Lion in October 2011. He has also held sales and business development positions at Avaya, ADC Telecom and other technology firms. Subrata holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering from B.E. College, India.

With more than twenty-five years of experience in finance, Mike joins Red Lion from Harsco Corporation, where he served as vice president and controller for the Infrastructure Americas division. He also held several financial leadership positions in both the U.S. and U.K. at Harsco, a $3 billion global industrial services company with customers in the construction, steel, metals, energy and railway industries. In addition to extensive experience in merger and acquisition activities, Mike is a CPA and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Shippensburg University.

About Red Lion Controls

As the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation, Red Lion has been delivering innovative solutions to customers for forty years. Our award-winning technology enables companies worldwide to gain real-time data visibility that drives productivity. Product brands include Red Lion, Sixnet and N-Tron. With headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, the company has offices across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. For more information, please visit http://www.redlion.net/. Red Lion is a Spectris company.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Appoints industry veterans Laura Hoffman as vice president of global marketing and Jim Gilbert as vice president of automation & wireless

York, PA –February 7, 2012 –Red Lion Controls, the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation, today announced that it has expanded its executive management team with the appointments of Laura Hoffman as vice president of global marketing and Jim Gilbert as vice president of automation and wireless. In their respective roles, Laura will be responsible for marketing programs worldwide and Jim will lead industrial automation and wireless product development.

“The combination of Laura’s marketing expertise with Jim’s technical background further strengthens the Red Lion management team,” said Mike Granby, president of Red Lion Controls. “With a growing industrial portfolio resulting from our N-Tron and Sixnet acquisitions, we realize the importance of enhancing marketing and product management to better serve the needs of customers and partners around the world.”

Laura joins the company with over twenty years of marketing program leadership that includes fourteen years at Microscan Systems, a factory automation industry provider owned by Red Lion’s parent company, Spectris plc. In her role as director of global marketing, she successfully implemented a combination of lead generation, public relations, event planning, brand positioning and channel marketing programs to help drive sales and business development initiatives. Prior to Microscan, Laura handled marketing for a diverse array of companies, ranging from industrial materials handling to consumer tourism. She graduated with a B.A. in Communications with a minor in advertising from the University of Washington and has obtained several online marketing certifications.

With extensive experience delivering enterprise and mobile software solutions, Jim comes to Red Lion from NEC Corporation, where he worked as the director of product development & engineering for the Identification Solutions division. In this role, he was responsible for both security product development and the management of domestic and international engineering teams located in the United States, Canada and India. Prior to NEC, Jim served as senior vice president of global product management for Cross Match Technologies, where he oversaw strategic planning, competitive analysis, and product strategy. A member of the NIST Latent Interoperability Committee and a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Jim graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in Russian from Iowa State University.

About Red Lion Controls

As the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation, Red Lion has been delivering innovative solutions to customers for forty years. Our award-winning technology enables companies worldwide to gain real-time data visibility that drives productivity. With headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, the company has offices across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. For more information, please visit www.redlion.net. Red Lion is a Spectris company.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Awarded First Team Status in Three Different Categories for Red Lion, Sixnet and N-Tron

York, PA – January 17, 2012 – Red Lion Controls, the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation, today announced that the readers of Automation World magazine have named Red Lion a “First Team Supplier” in the publication’s “Leadership in Automation 2011” program. The honorees will be formally announced in the January print edition of Automation World and on AutomationWorld.com.

Red Lion was named a First Team Supplier in three different categories for its industrial control products, as well as for industrial networking products from recently-acquired Sixnet and N-Tron businesses. The awards and categories include:

• Data Acquisition Hardware (Red Lion)
• Data Acquisition Hardware (Sixnet)
• Networking Components – Ethernet (N-Tron)
• Networking Components – Wireless (N-Tron)

The honorees were selected based on online voting through the “Leadership in Automation” (LIA) section of the Automation World website, as well as an email poll conducted over the past year.

“The First Team honorees offer outstanding examples of innovation and service. Chosen by their customers, we applaud these leaders and thank them for the inspiration and example they provide to the industrial automation community,” said Jim Chrzan, publisher of Automation World. “Congratulations to them, and thank you to all the end users who lent their voices to this program.”

In October 2011, Red Lion acquired Sixnet, a New York-based manufacturer of industrial Ethernet switch, automation and wireless solutions. Approximately one year earlier, the company also acquired N-Tron, a manufacturer of rugged industrial networking components, based in Alabama.

“Being named a First Team Supplier by Automation World is a testament to the strength of our industrial-grade product portfolio,” said Mike Granby, president of Red Lion Controls. “The combination of Red Lion, Sixnet and N-Tron allows us to create a wide range of flexible industrial automation solutions for customers worldwide, and the future looks bright for our combined organization.”

About Red Lion Controls

As the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation, Red Lion has been delivering innovative solutions to customers for forty years. Our award-winning technology enables companies worldwide to gain real-time data visibility that drives productivity. With headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, the company has offices across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.  For more information, please visit www.redlion.net. Red Lion is a Spectris company.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Sixnet IndustrialPro Routers Deliver Wireless Backhaul Connectivity to Support Smart Meters

Ballston Lake, NY – December  6, 2011 – Sixnet, a Red Lion business and leading provider of industrial networking solutions, today announced that its IndustrialPro® cellular routers are being used by Black Hills Power to provide wireless backhaul connectivity for the company’s secure Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project. The AMI collects data from smart meters at more than 69,000 customer sites over a 3G cellular network, allowing Black Hills to remotely monitor energy consumption and maximize power availability.

“Previously, we checked electric meters manually, which was a time-consuming process that involved a great deal of driving and home visits,” said Rick Dobbe, communications engineer at Black Hills Power. “The security, performance and reliability of Sixnet’s rugged cellular routers give us real-time access to data so that we can remotely monitor energy use, outage and restoration notifications and alarms over our Verizon 3G network, helping us to conserve costs while increasing productivity.”

Black Hills Power provides safe, reliable service to 69,000 residential and commercial customers in 25 communities in western South Dakota, southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming. Black Hills’ AMI initiative, which began installing smart meters in customer homes in June 2010, is a smart grid project that contributes to the national goal of building an intelligent grid to serve the public interest and conserve energy.

Sixnet’s IndustrialPro routers provide secure, cost-effective cellular connectivity to remote locations and devices such as meters, sensors or RTUs in industrial environments. The IndustrialPro routers used by Black Hills Power are managed by Sixnet’s SixView™ Manager, which enables remote management, configuration and monitoring of multiple devices from a single console.

“The Black Hills Power AMI program is an ambitious project that required a wireless solution that was not only secure and reliable, but also easy to deploy,” said Scott Killian, director of sales for Sixnet/Red Lion. “Sixnet’s industrial wireless routers combined with our SixView Manager software make it easy to install, configure and monitor remote units so that organizations can proactively utilize 3G networks for innovative applications such as smart meters.”

To learn more about Sixnet products and services, please visit http://www.sixnet.com or email sales@sixnet.com.

About Black Hills Power

Black Hills Power is the legacy utility business of Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) and has been delivering energy for more than 128 years. The electric utility serves 69,000 customers in 25 communities in western South Dakota, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. Black Hills Corp. — a diversified energy company with a tradition of exemplary service and a vision to be the energy partner of choice — is based in Rapid City, S.D., with corporate offices in Denver and Papillion, Neb. Black Hills Corp. serves 762,000 natural gas and electric utility customers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, and its non-regulated businesses generate wholesale electricity, produce natural gas, oil and coal, and market energy. Black Hills’ 2,100 employees partner to produce results that improve life with energy. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com.

About TESSCO Technologies

TESSCO Technologies, (NASDAQ:TESS), is Your Total Source^(R) to build, use, and maintain wireless systems. The convergence of wireless and the Internet is revolutionizing the way we live and work. New systems and applications are unlocking human potential at an unprecedented rate. TESSCO is there, thinking in new ways for exceptional outcomes. TESSCO architects and delivers, with innovation, productivity and speed, the product and value chain solutions to organizations responsible for building, operating, and maintaining wireless voice, data and video systems.

About Sixnet

Sixnet, a Red Lion business, provides innovative machine-to-machine (M2M) industrial networking solutions that integrate wireless, automation and switching technologies to better serve customers and markets worldwide. Sixnet’s flexible solutions enable organizations to cost-effectively increase business productivity. By integrating powerful enterprise-class networking with rugged reliability, Sixnet meets the standards of the most demanding applications in industries such as power & energy, banking & retail, transportation, video & security, utilities, military, mobile data, maritime and more. Based in Ballston Lake, NY, the company has offices across North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.sixnet.com.

About Red Lion Controls

Red Lion Controls, an internationally based manufacturer of a range of control devices, got its start in a garage in 1972, and now boasts three offices across the world as part of Spectris plc. Red Lion Controls has built a strong reputation in several product areas, including human machine interface, process measurement and control, and digital measurement and control. Red Lion has a complete family of quality and value oriented products to serve the needs of our international customer base. In addition to world headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, Red Lion has sales offices in Europe and Asia.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Ballston Lake, NY and New Delhi, India – November 8, 2011 – Sixnet, a Red Lion business and leading provider of industrial networking solutions, today announced that it has solidified a formal partnership with UL Electrodevices Pvt. Ltd., a distributor, manufacturer and developer of industrial connectivity, interfacing and communication  products and services.  Under this agreement, UL Electrodevices, headquartered in Maharashtra, India, will distribute Sixnet’s portfolio of automation devices and Ethernet switches to its vast network of customers in the automation, machinery, electrical and electronics industries.

“Our customers represent some of the largest and most well-respected players in the oil & gas, utility, power, renewable energy and manufacturing industries, and we pride ourselves on providing them with innovative communications solutions that are both dependable and efficient,” said Syed Moeed, Product Manager, Ethernet & Fiber Optics Communication, UL Electrodevices Pvt Ltd. “Partnering with Sixnet was an easy decision, as we knew that integrating both companies’ automation and switching lines would help enhance our already-robust portfolio and allow us to continue in our expansion throughout India.”

UL Electrodevices boasts a wide network of sales and service locations throughout India, including offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Vadodara, Raipur, Coimbatore and Bangalore.  Working together with Sixnet, the company delivers reliable, rugged solutions that provide a comprehensive solution for many of today’s business-critical industrial applications.

“As we continue to introduce industrial networking solutions that have practical applications in a variety of different environments, we realize the equal importance of expanding both our sales offices and our diverse partner network to provide an appropriate venue for this growth,” said Rake W. Jiang, Vice President of International Sales for Sixnet. “This announcement continues to build on our overall global expansion, and we are actively looking for partners that will deliver and service Sixnet products as part of a total solution.”

Over the past few years, Sixnet has rapidly expanded its international presence through the addition of numerous partnership announcements throughout the United States, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific region, including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.  For more information or to become a Sixnet distributor, please visit www.sixnet.com.

About Sixnet

Sixnet, a Red Lion Controls business, provides innovative machine-to-machine (M2M) industrial networking solutions that integrate wireless, automation and switching technologies to better serve customers and markets worldwide. Sixnet’s flexible solutions enable organizations to cost-effectively increase business productivity. By integrating powerful enterprise-class networking with rugged reliability, Sixnet meets the standards of the most demanding applications in industries such as power & energy, banking & retail, transportation, video & security, utilities, military, mobile data, maritime and more. Based in Ballston Lake, NY, the company has offices across North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.sixnet.com.

About Red Lion Controls

Red Lion Controls, an internationally based manufacturer of a range of control devices, got its start in a garage in 1972, and now boasts three offices across the world as part of Spectris plc. Red Lion Controls has built a strong reputation in several product areas, including human machine interface, process measurement and control, and digital measurement and control. Red Lion has a complete family of quality and value oriented products to serve the needs of our international customer base. In addition to world headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, Red Lion has sales offices in Europe and Asia.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Industrial Networking Pioneer Ranks First in “Large Private Company” Category

Ballston Lake, NY – November 1, 2011 – Sixnet, a Red Lion business and leading provider of industrial networking solutions, today announced that CFO Ted Rydzewski has been named “2011 CFO of the Year” by The Business Review, the preferred resource for local news and information for Albany’s fastest growing companies. Sixnet took first place in the “Large Private Company” category and was honored at an awards ceremony on October 20, 2011 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy, New York.

Acknowledged for his outstanding performance in his role as a corporate financial steward, Rydzewski was instrumental in the company’s recent acquisition by Spectris plc, the productivity-enhancing instrumental and control company and parent of Red Lion Controls.  Despite the down economy, Sixnet saw record growth in 2011, and Rydzewski, who has been with the company for five years, attributes this success to the company’s expansion of its international sales channels.

“We have seen active growth over the past twelve months, including recent partnerships and office expansions into both South America and the Asia Pacific region,” said Rydzewski. “When the U.S. market began its downward spiral in 2009, we quickly realized the importance of pushing into the international markets as a way of differentiating ourselves from our competition, and we are fortunate to say that this strategy has worked extremely well for us.”

This news comes on the heels of Sixnet’s recent acknowledgement as a 2012 CW 100 award recipient by Connected World magazine, which recognizes the most innovative providers of M2M technology and connected devices. Companies on the CW 100 list are selected after considering hundreds of private and publicly-traded firms, and winners are chosen based on sales and earnings growth, contribution to the connected devices space, and innovation in multiple markets served during the past twelve months.

When asked about reasons for the company’s recent successes, Rydzewski replied: “There are three key things I have learned. One, build a strong team around you; you are only as good as your team. Two, always have written financial and strategic plans because without plans you do not know where you are going. And three, never underestimate your competitors. As soon as you become complacent, your competitors will take your market share.”

About Sixnet

Sixnet, a Red Lion Controls business, provides innovative machine-to-machine (M2M) industrial networking solutions that integrate wireless, automation and switching technologies to better serve customers and markets worldwide. Sixnet’s flexible solutions enable organizations to cost-effectively increase business productivity. By integrating powerful enterprise-class networking with rugged reliability, Sixnet meets the standards of the most demanding applications in industries such as power & energy, banking & retail, transportation, video & security, utilities, military, mobile data, maritime and more. Based in Ballston Lake, NY, the company has offices across North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.sixnet.com.

About Red Lion Controls

Red Lion Controls, an internationally based manufacturer of a range of control devices, got its start in a garage in 1972, and now boasts three offices across the world as part of Spectris plc. Red Lion Controls has built a strong reputation in several product areas, including human machine interface, process measurement and control, and digital measurement and control. Red Lion has a complete family of quality and value oriented products to serve the needs of our international customer base. In addition to world headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, Red Lion has sales offices in Europe and Asia.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

Ballston Lake, NY – October 18, 2011 – Sixnet, a Red Lion business and leading provider of industrial networking solutions, today announced that it has been named to Connected World magazine’s 2012 CW 100 list, which recognizes the most innovative providers of M2M technology and connected devices. This year’s list was published in the November/December issue of Connected World.

“Each year as M2M gains in popularity, industry stalwarts work to entrench themselves into the connected devices industry and the CW 100,” said Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Connected World. “As the market continues to grow, the fight to find a position on the CW 100 becomes increasingly more challenging, yet desirable.”

Companies on the CW 100 are selected after considering hundreds of private and publicly-traded firms. The criteria for listing include: sales and earnings growth, contribution to the connected devices space, and innovation in multiple markets served during the past twelve months.

“Since its founding in 1976, Sixnet has had a strong history of serving customers in industrial and M2M markets,” said Mike Granby, president of Red Lion Controls. “Being named to the CW 100 list is a great honor and reflects Sixnet’s commitment to customers and partners, and to providing the best industrial Ethernet switch, automation and wireless solutions that it can to allow organizations to improve communications, productivity and business efficiency.”

To learn more about Sixnet products and services, please visit http://www.sixnet.com or email sales@sixnet.com.

About Connected World magazine

Connected World is the definitive resource on connectivity trends and mobile lifestyles. The magazine and Website are the authoritative voice that set the direction for influential individuals looking to take innovation and emerging technology to the next level. By shaping the way readers embrace connected devices, Connected World helps make the present look more like the future. www.connectedworldmag.com

About Sixnet

Sixnet, a Red Lion business provides innovative machine-to-machine (M2M) industrial networking solutions that integrate wireless, automation and switching technologies to better serve customers and markets worldwide. Sixnet’s flexible solutions enable organizations to cost-effectively increase business productivity. By integrating powerful enterprise-class networking with rugged reliability, Sixnet meets the standards of the most demanding applications in industries such as power & energy, banking & retail, transportation, video & security, utilities, military, mobile data, maritime and more. Based in Ballston Lake, NY, the company has offices across North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.sixnet.com.

About Red Lion Controls

Red Lion Controls, an internationally based manufacturer of a range of control devices, got its start in a garage in 1972, and now boasts three offices across the world as part of Spectris plc. Red Lion Controls has built a strong reputation in several product areas including human machine interface, process measurement and control, and digital measurement and control. Red Lion has a complete family of quality and value oriented products to serve the needs of our international customer base. In addition to world headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, Red Lion has sales offices in Europe and Asia.

Media Contact

Drew Miale
Davies Murphy Group
+1 (781) 418-2438
redlion@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com