PARAGON
TECHNOLOGIES' SI/BAKER JOINT VENTURE WINS $1.75 MILLION
CONTRACT FOR EXPANSION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
CENTRALIZED MAIL ORDER SYSTEM
$1.75 Million Prescription Fulfillment
System for Mail Order Prescriptions
EASTON, PA - August 14, 2001 - Paragon
Technologies, Inc. [AMEX:PTG], a leader in fully automated
and integrated materials handling and conveyor systems, today
announced that its SI/BAKER joint venture with McKesson Automation
Systems, formerly BakerAPS, the outpatient pharmacy product
division of McKesson Corporation [NYSE:MCK], was awarded a
contract for an expansion to the Department of Veteran Affair's
Centralized Mail Order facility "VA CMOP," located
in North Charleston, South Carolina.
This expansion of the system will raise the
prescription volume from a current level of 25,000 prescriptions
per shift to a level of 35,000 prescriptions per shift.
The VA CMOP Charleston currently operates two (2) shifts
per day. The VA CMOP program continues to provide quality
prescription services to veterans in a very cost-effective
manner.the large retail chain drug organizations.
The VA CMOP Charleston expansion will include
an additional Dispen-SI-matic™ system, provided by
SI/BAKER through Paragon Technologies, and the conveyor,
equipment, and controls necessary to increase the dispensing
capacity of the existing system. The contract value is approximately
$1.75 million, and completion is scheduled for the fourth
quarter of 2001.
Bill Johnson, President and CEO of Paragon
Technologies, said, "Once again, we are proud to have
SI/BAKER chosen to implement this major expansion to a system
that was initially installed by SI/BAKER in 1998. The volume
of prescriptions for the Department of Veteran Affairs continues
to grow, and SI/BAKER's designs help them deliver quality
prescription services at the lowest dispensing costs in
the industry."
Mark Sakaniwa, McKesson Automation Systems
President, adds, "SI/BAKER's central fill technologies
have provided proven cost-effective and quality solutions
for high volume pharmacies, such as the Department of Veteran
Affair's Centralized Mail Order facility in the past and
will to continue to do so in the future."
SI/BAKER, INC., a joint venture company equally
owned with McKesson Automation, a product division of McKesson
Corporation [NYSE:MCK], is the leading supplier of automated
prescription fulfillment systems for high volume pharmacies.
SI/BAKER has installed over 40 integrated prescription fulfillment
systems, ranging in size from 1,000 to over 25,000 prescriptions
per shift, for mail order, central fill, and Internet pharmacy
applications. SI/BAKER employs advanced engineering and
proven technology to create the most accurate and efficient
pharmacy systems in the industry.
About Paragon Technologies
Paragon Technologies is a leader in integrating materials handling systems and
creating automated solutions for material flow applications. Ermanco's branded
conveyor technologies and material handling solutions address the needs of the
distribution, assembly, and manufacturing marketplace. SI Systems' branded technologies
and material handling solutions address unit assembly handling and order fulfillment
applications. Paragon Technologies' Quality Management System at its Easton,
Pennsylvania location is certified to the ISO 9001 standard. The scope of the
Quality Management System governs the design, manufacture, assembly, installation,
and servicing of automated materials handling and distribution systems. One
of the top materials handling systems suppliers worldwide, Paragon's leading
clients include the United States Postal Service, General Motors, IBM, BMG,
Daimler Chrysler, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, Peterbilt, Harley-Davidson, Walgreens,
and Clark Equipment.
Certain statements contained
herein are not based on historical fact and are to be viewed as "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Words or phrases used in this News Release denoting the anticipated
results of future events, such as " believe," "affords us,"
"grow," "will be," "will spur additional opportunities,"
and similar expressions that denote optimism and uncertainty, are intended to
identify such forward-looking statements. SI Handling's actual results, performance,
or achievements could differ materially from the results expressed in, or implied
by, such "forward-looking statements" if the factors on which their
conclusions are based do not conform to their expectations.
