The Karlsruhe City Council Utilities Department is using aramid fibre materials for its protective clothing. DuPont asked Heinz Feuchter, Work Safety Department, Karlsruhe City Council Utilities Department to share his experiences of using these fibres:

Q: When and why did you start using aramid fibre materials? A: "20 years ago, SWK replaced the electricians' regular cotton workwear with garments made of Nomex . We wanted to protect our staff from burns by using flame- and heat-resistant aramid fibre materials. Employees are increasingly open to wearing this type of garment, and since garments made of Nomex have been worn, the number of physical accidents has been reduced. Since its introduction 20 years ago, we have enhanced the performance and comfort of the workwear each time we have re-tendered. Our experience shows us that the initial higher outlay is soon recouped because the garments are long-lasting. From the outset, we had eliminated chemically treated fabrics, because at some point their protective capacity diminishes, and it's difficult to tell how long it lasts. Our employees appreciate top-level protection."

Dr Karl Roth, Technical Manager at the Karlsruhe City Council Utilities Department, makes the importance of maintaining this high-level protection for the new garment model quite clear: "Ensuring we supply our users, whilst taking a responsible attitude towards our staff, is the SWK ethos."

Q: What tests did you carry out as part of the procurement procedure?

A: "For us, it was a matter of guaranteeing the best possible protection while ensuring wearer comfort so we planned a series of 3-step tests to check how effective and comfortable the suits were. The first phase, in the summer of 2006, consisted of a 3-month user test, in which garments were tested in real-life working conditions by electricians, plumbers and gas fitters. The employees deemed the garments to be comfortable. Next, in order to assess the material's quality and easy-care properties, the garments were washed every three days. Handling during washing went smoothly, without a hitch as the suits proved colourfast, and showed no signs of wear and tear. Finally, the equipment was subjected to DuPont's in-house functional tests, rounded off with our own performance tests on material samples."

Q: What did the functional tests consist of? A: "In order to make a valid assessment of the protective functions, the suits were subjected to a series of tests in the DuPont test laboratories in Geneva. In these tests, the DuPont Thermo-Man mannequin was exposed to flames for four seconds and suffered only 13% second and third-degree burns (discounting the head, which was not protected). For an employee aged 30 to 39 this translates into a 100%[1] chance of survival rate. The test for protection against parasite electric arcs conducted on Arc-Man also yielded satisfactory rates. Furthermore, I myself conducted two tests on Nomex material weighing 300 g/sq. m, focussing on the practical constraints of day-to-day work. For the first test, we stretched the material vertically and put it in direct contact with sparks from steelwork being carried out nearby. No sparks punctured the material, which remained intact. For the second test, we stretched the material horizontally, and carried out welding work nearby using an electric workstation. The material was slightly discoloured, but intact."

Q: For your new PPE, you have chosen a Nomex material weighing 300 g/sq. m, which is heavier than your previous suits. Could you explain why?

A: "The multi-task operators are working in a new setup. They work as gas conduit fitters and as electricians too. In addition to protecting them against parasite electric arcs and resisting flames and heat, PPE must also provide effective protection during minor welding tasks. Nomex Comfort material with a surface density of 265 g/sq. m ensures effective protection against parasite electric arcs, but not against sparks, nor liquid metal splashes that can occur during welding work. So we decided after consultation with DuPont and our supplier, Gross & Bukschat, to opt for a surface density of 300g/sq. m. Thanks to the weaving mill IBENA, the project was seen produced and testing and fitting sessions proved we had made the right decision.

Q: Can the staff bear wearing protective equipment with a heavier surface density? A: "Electricians and welders feel uncomfortable in PPE with a surface density over 330 g/sq. m and when employees feel equipment is too heavy, they clearly don't use it properly, if at all. Given our hands-on experience, we set the comfort threshold at around 300 g/sq. m. and this is why we eliminated everything except high-performance materials in aramid fibres such as Nomex , which offers adequate protection at a relatively low weight."

Q: How do you ensure the quality of the protective clothing you use? A: "Protective equipment can only be as effective as the component with the lowest performance level. This is why Karlsruhe City Council Utilities Department Procurement leaves nothing to chance. Every last detail of our protective suit model was recorded and discussed with our supplier Gross & Bukschat. Therefore we could be sure the materials had been treated according to our specifications, that heat and flame resistant Nomex yarn was used for the seams, and that the applications used were also flame-resistant. SWK had learned lessons from an accident in 2005 involving an electric arc (from a 1 kV control box), which hit an employee. Thanks to his protective Nomex suit, he escaped with just a few red marks. Analysing the accident, we observed that the Nomex material had resisted the electric arc, but the trouser seams had not. Instead of a Nomex yarn, a simple polyester/cotton yarn had been used for the seam and this had melted in the heat. Paying attention to detail during prototype development means this kind of defect has now been eliminated."

Q: In your experience, how do you go about imposing top-quality protective equipment in companies?

A: "Even if management is ultimately responsible for equipment procurement decisions, the Work Safety Department has technical responsibility. Clear and precise arguments and reasoning are crucial to the introduction of specific protective clothing. Direct communication with management and the Works council is also vital to define the important factors and specifications, to avoid unpleasant surprises for the Work Safety Department, such as taking delivery of different clothing to that recommended for financial reasons. By taking the right measures to avoid work-related accidents or reduce the consequences to a minimum, we are serving the entity and all staff."

An accident involving an electric arc occurred in 2005 on this 1 kV control box at the Karlsruhe City Council Utilities Department. An arc from the box hit an employee. He escaped with just a few red marks thanks to his protective suit in Nomex . (Photo: Karlsruhe City Council Utilities Department)

Copyright DuPont 2008. All rights reserved. The DuPont Oval, DuPont, The miracles of science, NOMEX and KEVLAR are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

[1] Chance of survival rates are calculated according to a study by the American Burn Association (1991-1993).

About DuPont

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

DuPont, NOMEX , THERMO-MAN and ARC-MAN are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

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Karlsruhe City Council's Utilities Department

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DuPont has been operating in Egypt since 2000 with the opening of its office in Maadi, and the company today has nine active business units in Cairo. DuPont's presence in the country and its growing local team demonstrate the company's solid involvement in the Egyptian market and its commitment to bringing Egypt up-to-date with the world's most innovative science developments.

About DuPont:DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.The DuPont Oval, DuPont(TM), The miracles of science, and all products are registered trademarks or trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

(C) 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

The Company achieved a number of non-financial milestones during the past fiscal year:

- selected by the Toronto Stock Exchange as one of the top 50 TSX Venture companies and the third best performing technology and life sciences company in all of the Venture exchange companies based on a ranking formula that includes revenue, return on investment, market cap growth and trading volume;

- successful completion of its qualification program of its Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) based transceivers built at its high-volume production line at Sanmina-SCI. The qualification program was completed in accordance with Telcordia GR-468-CORE which outlines general reliability requirements for optoelectronic devices used in telecommunications system;

- successful demonstration of an operational Fiber-to-the-Home system using its Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) based Transceiver in August, 2007. The demonstration was the first public display of triple-play services running on a truly integrated PLC based Transceiver inside a commercially available Fiber-to-the-Home system. The Enablence transceiver ran High Definition Television (HDTV), internet, voice and data services transmitted on a single optical fiber over a 20 km distance;

- completed the acquisition of ANDevices, Inc., a supplier of silica on silicon components and subsystems products and the foundry that manufacturers the PLC substrates used in the manufacture of optical transceivers;

- subsequent to year end, Enablence signed a definitive agreement and subsequently completed a transaction to acquire Wave7 Optics, Inc., a global provider of Fiber to the Home ("FTTH") systems that deliver voice, video and data services; and

- the Company has started to ramp its optical transceiver production capabilities and integration of the optical block into the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) with increased higher value added sales anticipated in Q2 and Q3 FY2009; and

- subsequent to the year end, the Corporation, announced on July 10, 2008 that it had signed a definitive Asset Purchase Agreement with DuPont Photonics Technologies LLC ("DuPont Photonics"), a wholly owned subsidiary of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") (NYSE: DD) to acquire the assets of DuPont Photonics. Concurrent with the agreement, DuPont will make a cash investment in the Corporation. This transaction is expected to close on July 31, 2008.

"Enablence is pleased to report a successful growth year with significant progress in and addition to its product lines," announced Arvind Chhatbar, the Chief Executive Officer of Enablence Technologies Inc. "Industry partners continue to recognize the significance of planar lightwave circuit technology solutions. PLC-based solutions are becoming pervasive throughout all optical networks, and are beginning to displace bulk optics across these networks."

"Our goal is to lead this change by providing optical network solutions that will position our customers to profit from the growing bandwidth demand that will require solutions that Enablence delivers" explained Mr. Chhatbar.

About Enablence Technologies Inc.

Enablence Technologies Inc., (TSX VENTURE: ENA) a publicly traded company, designs, manufactures and sells optical components, subsystems and systems to a global customer base. With corporate headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the company has two divisions, the FTTx Networks Division and the Optical Components & Subsystems Division, which provide products for access, metro and the long haul optical communications applications. The company's component products rely on proprietary planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology to integrate multiple components into a single optical chip to address the global rollout of Fiber to the Home (FTTH).

The FTTx Networks division is an industry leader in optical broadband access systems, with an expanding Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) product portfolio featuring a variety of architectural options, based on IP and Ethernet standards, for triple-play voice, video and data services. The company's Trident7(TM) Universal Access Platform is rapidly gaining market share around the world with service providers in the PTT ("Public Telephone & Telegraph"), IOC ("Independent Operating Carrier"), CLEC ("Competitive Local Exchange Carrier"), MSO ("Multiple System Operator"), municipal, utility and real estate development categories.

Forward Looking Statements

The statements in this press release may contain forward looking statements that may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Corporation's expectations and projections. The TSX Venture Exchange has not approved this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Contacts:
Enablence Technologies Inc.
Arvind Chhatbar
Chief Executive Officer
613-270-7859
613-270-7850 (FAX)
info@enablence.com
www.enablence.com

SOURCE: Enablence Technologies Inc.

mailto:info@enablence.com
http://www.enablence.com

The Company achieved a number of non-financial milestones during the past fiscal year:

- selected by the Toronto Stock Exchange as one of the top 50 TSX Venture companies and the third best performing technology and life sciences company in all of the Venture exchange companies based on a ranking formula that includes revenue, return on investment, market cap growth and trading volume;

- successful completion of its qualification program of its Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) based transceivers built at its high-volume production line at Sanmina-SCI. The qualification program was completed in accordance with Telcordia GR-468-CORE which outlines general reliability requirements for optoelectronic devices used in telecommunications system;

- successful demonstration of an operational Fiber-to-the-Home system using its Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) based Transceiver in August, 2007. The demonstration was the first public display of triple-play services running on a truly integrated PLC based Transceiver inside a commercially available Fiber-to-the-Home system. The Enablence transceiver ran High Definition Television (HDTV), internet, voice and data services transmitted on a single optical fiber over a 20 km distance;

- completed the acquisition of ANDevices, Inc., a supplier of silica on silicon components and subsystems products and the foundry that manufacturers the PLC substrates used in the manufacture of optical transceivers;

- subsequent to year end, Enablence signed a definitive agreement and subsequently completed a transaction to acquire Wave7 Optics, Inc., a global provider of Fiber to the Home ("FTTH") systems that deliver voice, video and data services; and

- the Company has started to ramp its optical transceiver production capabilities and integration of the optical block into the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) with increased higher value added sales anticipated in Q2 and Q3 FY2009; and

- subsequent to the year end, the Corporation, announced on July 10, 2008 that it had signed a definitive Asset Purchase Agreement with DuPont Photonics Technologies LLC ("DuPont Photonics"), a wholly owned subsidiary of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") (NYSE: DD) to acquire the assets of DuPont Photonics. Concurrent with the agreement, DuPont will make a cash investment in the Corporation. This transaction is expected to close on July 31, 2008.

"Enablence is pleased to report a successful growth year with significant progress in and addition to its product lines," announced Arvind Chhatbar, the Chief Executive Officer of Enablence Technologies Inc. "Industry partners continue to recognize the significance of planar lightwave circuit technology solutions. PLC-based solutions are becoming pervasive throughout all optical networks, and are beginning to displace bulk optics across these networks."

"Our goal is to lead this change by providing optical network solutions that will position our customers to profit from the growing bandwidth demand that will require solutions that Enablence delivers" explained Mr. Chhatbar.

About Enablence Technologies Inc.

Enablence Technologies Inc., (TSX VENTURE:ENA) a publicly traded company, designs, manufactures and sells optical components, subsystems and systems to a global customer base. With corporate headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the company has two divisions, the FTTx Networks Division and the Optical Components & Subsystems Division, which provide products for access, metro and the long haul optical communications applications. The company's component products rely on proprietary planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology to integrate multiple components into a single optical chip to address the global rollout of Fiber to the Home (FTTH).

The FTTx Networks division is an industry leader in optical broadband access systems, with an expanding Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) product portfolio featuring a variety of architectural options, based on IP and Ethernet standards, for triple-play voice, video and data services. The company's Trident7(TM) Universal Access Platform is rapidly gaining market share around the world with service providers in the PTT ("Public Telephone & Telegraph"), IOC ("Independent Operating Carrier"), CLEC ("Competitive Local Exchange Carrier"), MSO ("Multiple System Operator"), municipal, utility and real estate development categories.

Forward Looking Statements

The statements in this press release may contain forward looking statements that may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Corporation's expectations and projections. The TSX Venture Exchange has not approved this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE: Enablence Technologies Inc.

Enablence Technologies Inc.
Arvind Chhatbar
Chief Executive Officer
613-270-7859
613-270-7850 (FAX)
info@enablence.com
www.enablence.com