BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR STRONGEST LINK" COMPETITION AND FAIRFAX COUNTY

London event demonstrates firm business bonds between UK and US.

It was UK-US business as usual at the Grosvenor House Hotel last night when more than 150 businessmen from around the United Kingdom celebrated the presentation of the Strongest Link" competition award to a Cambridge company that will soon settle into Fairfax County, Virginia, taking the first step in what it hopes will lead to a US-wide footprint.

A little more than a week after the tragic events in New York and Washington, the occasion was one of the largest staged by British American Business Inc (BABi), the organisation formed out of the merger between the American Chamber of Commerce (UK) and the British American Chamber of Commerce.

It was a huge reminder of the close business ties between the two countries.

Said Mr Douglas Blausten, Chairman of BABis Transatlantic Business Planning Forum: The fact that we are here this evening bears full testimony to the bond of determination between our two countries."

AB Technology Cambridge Limited will now take its Gaslok" sensor for measuring gas leakage in refrigeration units to eIncubator Inc in Fairfax from which to launch itself into the American market.

The competition was launched in March by Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and eIncubator Inc in conjunction with the United Kingdom Science Parks Association and BABi.

Technology companies from around the country submitted their entries which were narrowed down to just eight, with AB Tech finally being chosen by the judges who described their job as very difficult."

FCEDAs President, Dr Gerald Gordon, who had planned to be at the event but was unable to leave Fairfax had earlier said of the competition: We wanted an entrant whose technology and vision would represent the best of what British business has to offer, and AB Tech fits that description as the strongest link. This makes our UK-Fairfax County connection even stronger and very exciting."

AB Tech was presented with the award by Mr Blausten who praised the drive and energy" of AB Technologys founder David Peall.

Mr Peall acknowledged that winning the award was a godsend", and that without it the company would not have been able to introduce Gaslok" to the US marketplace for another five years.

The event at the Grosvenor House was sponsored by some of the most familiar British business names and British American organisations.

The seven other finalists also received awards from Blausten. They were:
-   4eNetworking
-   ClaimNet
-   Freesolar
-   Mediascope
-   Multimed Interactive
-   Riley Fletcher
-   Wire-e

Michael RyanFCEDA London Empire House175 Piccadilly, Mayfair W1V 0TB Tel: 0800 085 0969 Fax: 01732 743 745 FairfaxUK@aol.com   
or
Ross Clarke or David Wallen Tel : 020 7630 1100 fairfax@livepr.net