UTILX Files Patents on Power Cable Designed to Last Forever

Business Wire, Oct 11, 1999

KENT, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 1999--

UTILX Corporation (Nasdaq:UTLX) announced that it has developed an entirely new class of underground, medium-voltage power cable which UTILX anticipates will be guaranteed to last forever.

The new UTILX cable design is called Trynergy(TM)/FE. The Trynergy(TM) brand represents the three-way or "triangular synergy" between three UTILX technologies. The first of these is the proven and patented CableCURE(R) cable enhancement technology which has been applied to over 15 million feet of aging cable over the last 13 years with 150 customers in North America, Europe and Asia. The technology has proven to be amazingly effective, restoring old cables to like-new condition and raising their reliability to 99.5%. The dynamic rejuvenation properties of CableCURE(R) are the first corner of the Trynergy(TM) triangle. The second corner is superior installation from UTILX's proven FlowMOLE(R) guided boring technology and zero-defect craftsmanship. The company also plans to franchise others to perform the installation services to UTILX specified tolerances. The new cable and component design is the third corner of the Trynergy(TM) triangle -- the design includes a permeable tube in the strands of the cable conductor which provides a means to allow the circuit to be perpetually renewed.

This new technology promises superior reliability compared to current cable designs and a lower total installed cost. While modern conventional cables are expected to last forty or more years, many cable owners install cable in costly conduits to facilitate their eventual replacement when they ultimately become unreliable. Cable owners who were installing their new cable in conduits will now be able to eliminate the incremental cost of the conduit thereby saving on initial installation costs. In addition to the up-front savings, the life cycle cost for the Trynergy(TM) design is also less than the conventional alternative. The Trynergy(TM) cables and components are expected to debut in the fall of 2000 and UTILX is currently interviewing potential production partners. The patent applications were filed in September and early October.

UTILX Corporation provides critical services for the installation and rejuvenation of aged underground infrastructure with proprietary CableCURE(R) solution in the U.S. and Canada through a network of regional sales and service centers. The Company also provides CableCURE(R) services throughout Europe and Asia.

This release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Company's existing and future products and services and future operating results that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. The words "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," variations of such words, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could affect the Company's actual results include competitive pressures, levels of work received from key customers, weather, regulatory, other matters affecting the utility industry in general, and any matters that could cause sudden changes in customers' demand for the Company's services. The Company's contracts typically allow for cancellation on short notice. Reference is made to the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for a more detailed description of such factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.