EANS-News: Hoeft & Wessel successful with e-Ticketing systems in South Africa

- 700 integrated Almex on-board computers and ticket printers for
bus
- Integrated e-Ticketing based on latest EMV contactless
technology

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Global Expansion

Subtitle: - 700 integrated Almex on-board computers and ticket
printers for bus - Integrated e-Ticketing based on latest EMV
contactless technology

Hanover/Germany, 09/11/2010. (euro adhoc) - The Almex division of the
Hoeft & Wessel Group will deliver 600 integrated on-board computers
and ticket printers to Durban Transport in South Africa based on the
eThekwini Municipality tender for new electronic ticketing equipment.
The almex.optima devices will replace current equipment from Almex
which has reliably served Durban Transport for almost 15 years.

Hoeft & Wessel has received several orders for almex.optima from
public transport operators in South Africa in 2010. New client orders
were placed by the bus operators Maluti Bus Services and Mkuze Bus
for rollouts in 2010 and 2011, increasing the total order volume to
over 700 units. Earlier in 2010, Durban´s transport operating company
People Mover for Durban´s golden mile transportation went
successfully live with their new Almex ticketing system in time for
the FIFA world cup. The local project implementation, installation
and maintenance for the ticketing systems will be provided by Almex´
long term partner SA Cash Register.

The rugged, hard-wearing design of the devices, the fast computing
and printing speed as well as the excellent maintenance services
provided in South Africa have contributed to the decision of the bus
operating companies to select Almex solutions again.

Key to the recent success however is the innovative system solution
that allows starting the integration of e-ticketing with the South
African EMV contactless bank issued fare media initiative for debit
card transactions. This initiative is driven by the National
Department of Transport (NDoT) in conjunction with the member banks
of the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA), in the case of
Durban The Standard Bank (SBSA). The electronic fare collection data
structure (EFC) utilises specific tags on the EMV chip for recording
and retrieving public transport related data.

The EMV contactless solution for Durban Transport will be the first
implementation in South Africa that will be based on standards
conforming to the Card Association specifications (for example
MasterCard PayPassTM, Visa payWaveTM). Durban will be using the
MasterCard PayPassTM standards.

The primary mode of fare payment and access to public transport
services will be through contactless EMV dual interface smart cards
hosting the NDoT AFC Data structure. In addition, commuters will be
enabled to pay for single fares in cash on board the bus.

The NDoT gazetted draft regulations are envisaged to regulate the use
of electronic fare collection systems in public transport, nationwide
and in a multi-modal environment by future integration of Bus,
BusRapid Transit, Rail, and Minibus-Taxi services.

SA Cash Register has been involved with Almex ticketing systems for
almost 15 years and have sold more than 2.000 devices in the South
African market. All of these products are due for upgrade to the new
almex.optima devices during 2011 and 2012. Almex are confident, that
the large interest in the new e-ticketing solutions will result in
additional growth in South Africa.

The Almex business division of the Hoeft & Wessel Group is one of the
leading providers of ticketing systems for public transport in Europe
and throughout the world as well as of mobile communication solutions
for railways.

www.almextransport.com
www.almex.de

Press folder with photos:
http://www.presseportal.de/pm/12945/hoeft_wessel_ag/

About the company: The Hoeft & Wessel Group is the leading German IT
and engineering technology group for ticketing, parking and mobile
solutions. Founded in 1978 by the two entrepreneurs of the same name,
the company listed on the stock exchange since 1998 (ISIN
DE0006011000) has developed into a corporate group with sales
revenues of just under EUR 100 million and a workforce of 500
employees. Its headquarters are Hanover, Germany, and Swindon, UK, to
the west of London. In the field of Research and Development, which
is of key importance for the Group´s technological orientation and
employs more than one third of the workforce, the annual investment
volume is at roughly 10 per cent measured in terms of sales revenues.
In line with its internationalisation strategy, the group of
companies operating in the business-to-business segment already
generates more than 50 per cent of its sales revenues abroad.

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Höft & Wessel AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Arnd Fritzemeier

Tel.: +49-511-6102-300

E-Mail: PR@hoeft-wessel.com

Branche: Technology
ISIN: DE0006011000
WKN: 601100
Index: TecDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
Hannover / free trade
München / free trade