16 Feb 12. RAE Systems Inc., a leading developer of gas and radiation detectors for oil and gas, first responders, industrial safety, homeland security, and environmental remediation, announced record revenues and double digit revenue growth for the year ending December 31, 2011. The company has been operating as a privately held corporation after shareholders approved a merger with Vector Capital in June 2011. For the full year 2011, the company reported that its revenue exceeded $100m and growth for the same period surged by 17 percent. Record revenue was driven by the continuing global adoption of RAE Systems’ AreaRAE and MeshGuard wireless gas detection platforms for threat aversion in hazardous environments as well as strong demand for its new MultiRAE monitors — the world’s first wireless portable multi-threat monitors that reliably give safety professionals unprecedented visibility and control of chemical and radiation threats. Additionally, RAE Systems’ 2011 revenue was boosted by strong worldwide radiation product sales. During 2011, RAE Systems strengthened its innovative product portfolio with several major new introductions which include: the wirelessly-connected ToxiRAE Pro single gas monitors; the credit-card sized DoseRAE2 personal radiation dosimeter; and enhanced ProRAE Guardian software — a real-time instrument monitoring, management and control software platform that provides mobile-command center functionality with comprehensive real-time display of gas and radiation data. On June 16, 2011, the company completed a merger agreement led by private equity firm Vector Capital. The transaction provided RAE Systems with resources that are expected to enable the company to deliver on its long-term vision of developing advanced, intelligent, connected, wireless gas and radiation detection solutions. Of equal importance, the merger enabled the company to solidify its business fundamentals that support the initiative to enhance its competitiveness in the marketplace through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The 2011 divestiture of the Fushun joint venture also signified a step in this direction. The divestiture contributed to the company’s strategic business objective of improving profitability and enhancing the customer experience. (Source: Yahoo!/Marketwire)

17 Feb 12. Empower Technologies Corporation has signed a definitive share purchase agreement with Northstar Electronics, Inc. to purchase 100% of its wholly owned subsidiary, Northstar Network Ltd., (NNL) for Cdn$1,000,000 cash, 3,000,000 warrants and assumption of NNL’s liabilities, which will not exceed $3,000,000 in the aggregate at closing. The transaction was previously announced by news releases dated November 9, 2011, December 1, 2011 and January 5, 2012. NNL is a Canadian ISO 9001:2000 Registered Defence, Aerospace, Marine and Homeland Security contractor based in Newfoundland. Combined with NNL’s in-house electronic contract manufacturing, assembly, and system integration capabilities, NNL has affiliate agreements in place with over twenty major international Defence and Aerospace Companies and several world-class educational institutions. NNL’s accomplishments in these industries have been due in part, to the extensive array of industry-specific equipment, facilities and resources that have been accessible through its affiliates. Empower will retain the right to use the name “Northstar” in the operation of NNL. By acquiring NNL, Empower will have instant access to the largest defense contracting customers in North America and the established sales pipeline already in place generating revenue and cash flow well into the future. Empower intends to strengthen and expand these advantages immediately. With Empower’s leading edge embedded system technologies and the state of arts real time imaging technologies, this acquisition opens the door for Empower to showcase its high value state of the arts technology products and services to a ve