Vancouver, BC, Canada – (October 21, 2004) – Carmanah Technologies Corporation (TSX VE: CMH; Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges: QCX), is pleased to announce that its Aviation Lighting Division hasachieved a new sales record this week by surpassing the $1 million mark in orders for the first 49 days of 2004. The division sold more than 2,250 units of Carmanah’s solar-powered LED Aviation Lights between January 1 and February 18, 2004, for a total value of $1,127,806.
“Carmanah’s newest division is taking off in 2004 with unprecedented growth and setting the pace for a banner year,” states Carmanah’s CEO, Art Aylesworth. “At this time last year, the Aviation Division was just getting rolling, engaging in testing and preliminary sales prior to Carmanah’s official launch into the aviation market last April.”
The aviation industry is embracing the advantages of Carmanah’s solar-powered light emitting diode (LED) technology. As they are faster to install, less expensive, and offer high performance, maintenance-free operation, Carmanah’s Aviation Lights are seen as unparalleled in the industry.
Since Carmanah’s official launch into aviation lighting in April 2003, more than 6,000 Carmanah Aviation Lights have been installed in over 30 countries, including U.S. military bases in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and North America and many international airports including Chicago O’Hare, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Auckland and Milan.
The latest 2004 sales include 280 Carmanah Model 601 lights to the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) – a purchase based on positive feedback from the U.S. Air Force – and a repeat order for 320 lights for a U.S. Air Force base in Kuwait, where there are already more than 1,000 units installed.
“Aviation is an excellent market for us to be in right now”, states Aylesworth. “In this market we have found applications where our reliable autonomous lighting can be used on an unparalleled scale. The magnitude of the orders, typically starting in the hundreds of units for a single airfield, is having a multiplier effect on our sales. And with several thousand airports in the U.S. alone, we are confident the interest in our products will continue growing at a rapid rate.”
Pilots have also found an additional safety benefit. Carmanah’s LED-based lighting allows them to fly with night vision goggles (NVGs) more effectively, without the “blooming” or blinding effect common with incandescent lighting alternatives.
For more information about Carmanah’s solar-powered LED aviation lighting, please visit www.solarairportlights.com.
About Carmanah
Carmanah is an award winning alternative energy manufacturer specializing in patented solar-powered LED lighting solutions for the marine, aviation, transit, roadway, railway and industrial worksite markets. The Company has more than 80,000 units installed in 110 countries. The shares of Carmanah Technologies Corporation (parent company) are publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “CMH” and on the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol “QCX”. For more information, please visit www.carmanah.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Carmanah Technologies Corporation
Praveen Varshney, Director
For further information, please contact.
Carmanah Contact:
c/o Investor Relations
Mr. Praveen Varshney, Director
Telephone: (604) 629-0264
Toll-Free: 1-866-629-0264
E-mail: investors@carmanah.com
AVVA: (a Carmanah company):
Mr. Mark Komonoski
Carmanah Technologies Corporation
Tel: (403) 861-8384
Toll-Free: 1-800-665-3749
Email: markk@avva.com
Media Contact:
Mr. David Davies
Harbourwerks Communications
Telephone: (250) 382-4332
E-mail: ddavies@harbourwerks.com
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described under the caption “Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements” and “Key Information – Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and which are incorporated herein by reference. These risks and uncertainties are also described under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Information Form dated December 31, 2002, as filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission and which are incorporated herein by reference. We do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.