April 21, 2008

To: Customers, Suppliers, Media and Organizations in the Automation Industry

As leading suppliers of HART based process automation products, we are frequently asked about our position on the WirelessHART standard, which was released as past of the HART 7 specification. We would like to take this opportunity to share with you our enthusiastic belief that WirelessHART is the solution that will help customers enjoy the benefits of wireless today and for years to follow.

Background on WirelessHART
A multi-vendor, interoperable wireless standard, WirelessHART was defined specifically for the requirements of Process field device networks. The standard was initiated in early 2004 and developed by 37 HART Communication Foundation (HCF) companies. WirelessHART was approved by a vote of the 210 member general HCF membership, ratified by the HCF Board of Directors, and introduced to the market in September 2007. The companies comprising the HCF represent 90+% of the field devices and control systems sold in the industry today. HCF membership is open to any company wishing to join. The HCF technology is also available for license to non-members.

Following its completed work on the WirelessHART standard in September 2007, the HCF offered ISA an unrestricted, royalty-free copyright license, allowing the ISA100 committee access to the WirelessHART standard.

A Powerful Solution...Ready Today
The HCF team which developed this interoperable, multi-vendor standard took great effort to ensure it would provide a solid platform for the future.

• The standard was designed and field proven for reliability, power consumption, security, expandability, and other factors against many use cases, including wireless based control.
• Backward compatibility with the HART "user layer" allows transparent adaptation of HART compatible control systems and configuration tools to integrate new wireless networks and their devices, as well as continued use of proven configuration and system-integration work practices.
• On September 27, 2007, the Fieldbus Foundation, Profibus Nutzerorganisation, and HCF announced a wireless cooperation team to develop a specification for a common interface to a wireless gateway, further protecting users' investments in technology and work practices for leveraging these industry-pervasive networks.

All of these factors and more give the HCF member companies great confidence that the WirelessHART standard will fully meet the needs of the process industries for a wireless field device network - now, and for many years to come. (To learn more, go to www.hartcomm.org and view the white papers and articles on WirelessHART.)

The Promise of Wireless is Fulfilled Today
As automation suppliers, we have a responsibility to innovate and deliver technologies that help customers realize new levels of performance, while ensuring open, interoperable technology platforms. This requires a dedicated focus on customer needs, and a spirit of collaboration to co-develop these game-changing, yet easily accessible technologies. Out customers expect no less. WirelessHART is just such a technology.

We are all delivering WirelessHART products this year and fully expect other HART member companies to do the same. Customers are gaining benefits today, and interest from the industry is extremely high. We hope you will soon realize the benefits too!

Sincerely,