Novo Group plc (FI) - Versatile Service for Sailing - NOVO MAP SER ...

Published: 15:21 20.11.2002 GMT+2 /HUGIN /Source: Novo Group plc 

/HEX: NOV /ISIN: FI0009801245
 

Versatile Service for Sailing - NOVO MAP SERVICE PROVIDES USEFUL

INFORMATION FOR USERS OF SUUNTO'S PERSONAL SAILING INSTRUMENT
 

Novo's map service is being used to complement Suunto Ltd.'s new

personal sailing instrument package, marketed at people interested in

sailing and boating as a leisure activity. In addition to the

personal sailing instrument Suunto M9 with its positioning

technology, the package includes PC software and an Internet service,

suuntosports.com, which includes Novo's nautical chart viewer

service. The product package will be available in January 2003.
 

Novo's world-wide nautical chart viewer service is providing Suunto's

customers with the possibility to save and plan sailing routes. For

example, information on suitable harbours and hazardous shoals can be

uploaded into the service, and made available on the Internet, as

needed, to others who have bought the product. Suuntosports.com's

nautical chart viewer service also provides the possibility, to

anyone who wishes, to browse nautical chartimages freely. There are

around 100 million leisure-time sailors and boaters around the world.
 

"We chose Novo as the provider of the nautical chart viewer service,

because the company proved to be the most enterprising in the

production of the service and was also ready to carry the risk of

making the initial investments alongside us", says Suunto Ltd.'s

Product Manager, Eljas Saastamoinen.
 

The nautical charts required for the service are supplied by The

United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), and their coverage and

reliability are of an extremely high level. UKHO's Admiralty Raster

Chart Service (ARCS) products are used by merchant shipping all over

the world.
 

As one of the largest IT service providers in the Nordic countries,

Novo has been operating for 30 years. Its net sales totalled EUR 295

million in 2001, and it has a staff of approximately 2,400. Novo

provides its customers with IT consulting, software and operating

services, and infra solutions. The Group has a nationwide service

network in Finland and subsidiaries in the Netherlands, the UK,

China, Germany, the USA and Estonia. More information: www.mapser.com
 

Suuntos' goal is to become the world's most desired sports instrument

brand. The strategy is to focus on sports activities where advanced

measurement technology, data processing and specific algorithms can

create significant added value to active participants. Suunto is

currently the leading manufacturer of wristop computers, diving

instruments and compasses. The net sales in 2001 were 83,4 Million

Euros. More information: www.suunto.com
 

The UKHO is one of the world's premier suppliers of navigational

paper charts and publications, with a folio of over 3300 charts and

200 publications, sold under the admiralty brand. Over three quarters

of the UKHO's charts and publications are sold to the world's

commercial shipping market to satisfy Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

regulations. More information: www.ukho.gov.uk
 

More information:
 

Novo, Sales Manager Kari-Pekka Karlsson, tel. +358 20566 5577,

Suunto, Product Manager Eljas Saastamoinen, tel. +358 9 8758 7141

UKHO, PR Manager Janice Goodman, tel. +44 (0) 1823 337900 Ext: 3706
 

Novo Communications: Leena Kauppi-Aalto, tel. +358 205 66 6591

All Novo e-mail addresses: firstname.lastname@novogroup.com
 
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