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Hemisphere GPS Guidance and Automated Steering Technology Shipping on Stara';s Newest Self-Propelled Sprayer

^{Published on 2009-06-15 03:32:13, Last Modified on 2009-06-15 03:33:14 - Market Wire}
 

 CALGARY and RIO GRANDE DO SUL, Brazil, June 15 /CNW/ - (TSX:HEM) Hemisphere GPS and Stara S.A. Industria de Implementos Agricolas, one of the world's largest agricultural implement manufacturers, announced today the launch of Stara's newest self-propelled sprayer, Gladiador, which comes standard equipped with Hemisphere GPS precision agriculture guidance, automated steering and boom control technology. "Hemisphere GPS products help elevate our sprayers among the precision farming industry and contribute to our goal of offering factory-installed precision agriculture solutions to our customers," says Cristiano Paim Buss, Director of Technology for Stara. "Hemisphere GPS' commitment to technology and innovation provides us with an extensive product portfolio that continues to support our advanced technology offerings." By combining the Outback Guidance(R) products from Hemisphere GPS with Stara implement innovation, the new Gladiador sprayers have achieved an unprecedented level of work autonomy. Gladiador sprayers use the Outback S3(TM) guidance system to provide precision guidance and a wide array of job management options. The Outback eDrive TC(TM) GPS assisted steering system automatically steers the sprayer, eliminating driver error and providing uniform treatments. In addition, Outback AutoMate(TM) allows the operator to independently control various sections of Gladiador's massive 27 meter boom to dramatically reduce skips and overlaps and to reduce application waste. Also, available as an option to the customer is the Outback BaselineX(TM) RTK system which offers base station support for higher accuracy positioning. "We congratulate Stara on the launch of the Gladiador sprayer and we are pleased that our advanced precision agriculture technology will be part of Stara's success in the marketplace," says Dean Ryerson, Senior Vice President and Chief of Agriculture for Hemisphere GPS. "Our OEM partnership with Stara has proven to be mutually beneficial and we look forward to a continuing strong relationship for years to come." About Hemisphere GPS Hemisphere GPS designs and manufactures innovative, cost-effective GPS products for positioning, guidance, and machine control applications in agriculture, marine and other markets. The Company holds numerous patents and other intellectual property and owns leading brand names, including Outback Guidance(R) and BEELINE(R), two of the leading brands in precision GPS for ground agriculture. The Company is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, with major product development, sales, and marketing facilities in Arizona, Kansas, and Australia. Hemisphere GPS trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "HEM" and is a component of Standard & Poor's TSX SmallCap Index. For more information about Hemisphere GPS, please go to [ www.hemispheregps.com ]. About Stara S.A. Headquartered in No-Me-Toque, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Stara S.A. is one of the world's largest agricultural implement manufacturers. Since its inception in 1953, the company has evolved from assembly and maintenance of agricultural implements to offering an international manufacturing product portfolio, including: precision farming, subsoil plows, sprayers, front agriculture loaders, seeders, and many more. 

For further information: Cheyenne Steffen, Public Relations Manager, Hemisphere GPS, Phone: (403) 214-6128, E-mail: [ pr@hemispheregps.com ], [ www.hemispheregps.com ]; Cristiano Paim Buss, Director of Technology, Stara S.A., Phone: +55 54 81470099, E-mail: [ cristiano@stara.com.br ], [ www.stara.com.br ]