Opal-RT & Viveris Finalize Agreement to form European Joint Venture

Opal-RT Europe to manage all European company operations and provide engineering and technical support to European customers and distributors

At a ceremony held today in Paris, executives from Opal-RT Technologies Inc. and Viveris Technologies signed an agreement resulting in the formation of Opal-RT Europe, a joint venture designed to serve the needs of Opal-RT customers from the Atlantic Ocean to Russia.

Opal-RT Technologies Inc. (www.Opal-RT.com) is the leading developer of open, PC-based Real-Time Simulators for electrical, mechanical and power electronic systems. Viveris Technologies, based in Paris, France, is an engineering technology and services company with offices in France, Spain and Romania.

Opal-RT Europe will be based in Paris and jointly owned and operated by Opal-RT Technologies and Viveris Technologies. Opal-RT Europe will be led by Cedric Jacquault, previously Executive Director of Viveris Technologies. Viveris has been the exclusive distributor of Opal-RT products in France and Spain since 2005, as well as a developer of complementary technologies for the Opal-RT Real-Time Simulation platform.

“The European market for engineering tools is among the largest in the world. Opal-RT’s success in Europe has been crucial to the growth of Opal-RT since the company’s founding in 1997,” said Mr. Jean Belanger, CEO and Co-Founer of Opal-RT Technologies.  “Viveris Technologies’ technical expertise and commitment to strong marketing and superior customer service has greatly contributed to our success in Europe. The formation of Opal-RT Europe, in partnership with Viveris, will ensure future growth while enabling us to continue to provide our European customers and distributors with the high level of service and support to which they have become accustomed.”

“Opal-RT Technologies has developed a reputation for developing Real-Time Simulation technologies that are not only ideal for use in a wide variety of applications and industries, but also designed to be scalable and affordable for even the smallest engineering organizations,” said Mr. Jacquault. “Since becoming an Opal-RT technology partner and distributor, our business and expertise has increasingly focused on the needs of electrical engineers who can benefit from the use of Opal-RT products. As a result, Viveris’ partnership in Opal-RT Europe is a logical next step for us, and ensures Opal-RT products will be in reach of electrical engineers at companies, utilities and universities across Europe.”

While Opal-RT Europe is a new entity, Opal-RT has already developed a strong presence in Europe, thanks to partnerships with companies like Viveris Technologies.

A large number of Opal-RT customers have already been established by Viveris and will continue to be serviced by Opal-RT Europe including:

• DCNS - A leading European player on the world market for naval defence systems. The Group designs, builds and supports surface combatants, submarines and mission-critical systems and equipment incorporating the most advanced technologies.
• Converteam Group - A world leader in power conversion engineering. Converteam develops and provides solutions built around three core components: rotating machines, drives and process automation, serving specialized sectors as well as its core markets in Marine Offshore, Oil & Gas and Offshore, Energy and Industry.
• S2M - Based in France, close to Paris, S2M is involved in all stages of the production of magnetic bearings and high speed motors. S2M's size allows it to have in-house experts in all the key areas, from design to manufacture and installation/commissioning, which ensures that the company continues to maintain its technological lead.
  S2M's origins are in aeronautical and space research, with a  "start-up" in 1976, inspired by a truly revolutionary innovation : contact-free bearings which function by electromagnetic levitation.  Numerous patented developments subsequently broadened the opportunities for industrial applications.
  Today, S2M's main markets are the gas and energy sectors, together with high-tech industries such as semi-conductors.

With representatives in France, Spain and Germany, Opal-RT Europe will manage all sales, marketing and technical support operations, servicing both Opal-RT customers and distributors in the following European countries:
Andorra, Algeria, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

While core product development takes place at Opal-RT headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Opal-RT Europe will continue to develop complementary products designed to meet the specific needs and requests of European customers.

About Viveris Technologies
VIVERIS Technologies is an advanced technology engineering company. Our services cover our customers' entire product development cycle. Since our creation in 1988, we have worked in an ongoing sustainable development ethic, in order to bring tangible added value to our customers. VIVERIS Technologies is ISO-certified 9001:2000.
Viveris is a distributor and integrator of Opal-RT products in France and Spain.

About Opal-RT Technologies Inc.
Founded in 1997, Opal-RT is the leading developer of open Real-Time Digital Simulators and hardware-in-the-loop testing systems for electrical, power electronic and electro-mechanical systems. Opal-RT's unique approach integrates parallel, distributed computing with commercial-off-the-shelf technologies. Opal-RT's customers perform Rapid Control Prototyping, System Integration, and Hardware-in-the-Loop testing of electric drives, electronic controllers and power distribution networks used in manufacturing, electric train networks, and by electrical utilities. Companies using Opal-RT Simulators include ABB, BHEL, Denso, GE, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, GM and Toyota.

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Opal-RT Contact:
Kirsty Whitefield
Marketing Communications Team Lead
Opal-RT Technologies Inc.
Telephone: +1-514-935-2323, x236
kirsty.whitefield@opal-rt.com