Ann Arbor, Michigan U.S.A. and Yokohama, Japan – February 6, 2009 – ODVA and the TÜV Rheinland Group announced today that TÜV Rheinland Japan has been authorized by ODVA as a conformance Test Service Provider (TSP). Conformance testing is a necessary step required by ODVA of all vendors seeking ODVA Declarations of Conformity for their ODVA technology-compliant products. Furthermore, conformance testing provides general industry with the vendor-independent assurance that products built to the ODVA specifications comply with the ODVA specifications and interoperate in multi-vendor installations.

ODVA manages the specifications and oversees conformance testing for ODVA technologies which encompass the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™) and the family of CIP Networks, including EtherNet/IP™, DeviceNet™, CompoNet™, ControlNet™ and CIP Safety™- the extension to CIP for functional safety networks. ODVA's TSPs conduct ODVA conformance tests of devices for compliance with ODVA's published specifications. ODVA licensed vendors who meet all of the requirements for being an ODVA-authorized vendor and whose products pass the tests receive an official Declaration of Conformity from ODVA and earn the right to use ODVA's CONFORMANCE TESTED™ certification and logo marks.

“TÜV Rheinland Japan is pleased to cooperate with ODVA to offer conformance testing in Japan for ODVA technologies," stated Mr. Sebastian Doose, COO of TÜV Rheinland Japan. "TÜV Rheinland has a long and successful history of operating in Japan, and we are confident that we can provide the highest level of conformance testing services to vendors of ODVA technologies, especially for those located in Japan."

ODVA Executive Director Katherine Voss adds: "This cooperation is a natural extension of ODVA’s cooperation with TÜV Rheinland which began with CIP Safety and now includes testing partnerships in Japan and China. As a global organization, ODVA is pleased to offer testing services to its licensed vendors at one of the world’s leading independent testing authorities. Together ODVA and TÜV Rheinland will be able to deliver the highest quality of vendor-independent conformance testing and device certification for open network standards."

All orders for ODVA conformance testing, including at TÜV Rheinland Japan, may be ordered through ODVA via its web site at www.odva.org. Vendors interested in learning more about ODVA conformance testing or about testing in Japan should directly contact ODVA. TÜV Rheinland Japan will be conducting ODVA conformance testing at its Global Technology Assessment Center in Yokohama.

About TÜV Rheinland Japan
TÜV Rheinland Japan, founded in 1983, is part of TÜV Rheinland Group Asia, a member of the TÜV Rheinland Group. TÜV Rheinland is a leading group for the provision of technical services worldwide. It has over 400 locations in 61 countries on all five continents. With a workforce of about 13,300, it achieves a turnover of approx. € 1.1 billion. The guiding principle in the Group is sustainable development of safety and quality standards. The motivating factor for TÜV Rheinland employees is the conviction that without technical progress, society and industry cannot grow. For this very reason, using technical innovations, products and equipment in a safe, responsible manner is of decisive importance. TÜV Rheinland has been a member of the Global Compact of the UN since 2006. TÜV Rheinland is over 130 years old and its headquarters are in Cologne, Germany.
For more information please visit www.tuv.com/jp  

About ODVA
ODVA, founded in 1995, is an international association comprised of members from the world's leading automation companies. Collectively, ODVA and its members support network technologies based on the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™). These currently include EtherNet/IP™, DeviceNet™, CompoNet™ and ControlNet™ and along with the major extensions to CIP -- CIP Safety™ and CIP Motion™. ODVA manages the development of these open technologies, and assists manufacturers and users of CIP Networks through its activities in standards development, certification, vendor education and industry awareness. As part of its certification activities, ODVA offers conformance testing to help ensure that products built to its specifications operate in multi-vendor systems. For more information, visit its web site at www.odva.org.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Adrienne Meyer
Manager, Marketing Communications
ODVA
4220 Varsity Drive, Suite A
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-5006
USA
tel: +1 734 975 8840
fax: +1 734 922 0027
email: ameyer at odva.org

or

Mr. Shuji Saito
Project Manager
TÜV Rheinland Japan, Ltd.
Global Technology Assessment Center
4-25-2 Kita-Yamata, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama
224-0021 Kanagawa-ken
Japan
tel: +81 45 914 0239
fax: +81 45 914 3353
email: odva at jpn.tuv.com