Tuesday, May 19, 2009

AS&E IDs new order worth $25M for inspection systems

By Brendan Lynch

American Science and Engineering Inc. reports it has landed $25 million from an unnamed Middle Eastern country for its cargo inspection systems.

Under the deal, a modification to a previously won contract, AS&E (Nasdaq: ASEI) will provide its Z Portal cargo and vehicle screening and OmniView Gantry cargo inspection systems for scanning vehicles and trucks entering a high-risk facility in the Middle East for explosive threats and contraband.

May has been a busy month for AS&E as well as for its unnamed customers. Last week, the Billerica-based company landed $2.2 million from an unnamed European customs agency for service and maintenance on cargo X-ray inspection systems. The contract was a renewal with a long-standing relationship with the unnamed customer, AS&E said.

Earlier this month, AS&E landed $4.7 million from an unnamed law enforcement agency for its cargo screening vans. Under the contract, the company will deliver multiple Z Backscatter Vans to the agency. AS&E said the vans will be used to scan vehicles at border crossings and other checkpoints to detect illegal drugs and other contraband.

Also this month, AS&E won a $6.3 million follow-on order from an unnamed client in the Middle East for an unspecified number of its Z Portal cargo and vehicle screening systems.

AS&E reported a fiscal 2008 net income of $17.5 million on revenue of $166.7 million.