ROYAL VENDORS OFFERS Econo-cool™ TECHNOLOGY TO SAVE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY DOLLARS

Kearneysville, W.Va. (October 25, 2001) - Royal Vendors new Econo-cool™ Technology reduces energy consumption by approximately 50 percent.

Beginning January 2002, all new Royal Vendors machines will be available with the optional Econo-cool™ package, and existing Royal Vendors products manufactured since 1996 can be upgraded with an Econo-cool™ retrofit package. The Econo-cool™ Technology consists of a combination of a new, more energy-efficient lighting package, cooling unit, evaporator fan, and software.

"Our new technology is a win-win for the environment, soft drink manufacturers working to meet their own energy-efficiency mandates, vending operators, and their customers," said Larry LaBrier, president of Royal Vendors Inc. "For example, manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada are faced with meeting new government regulations such as House Energy Bill HR4-Section 143 that covers cold drink vending machines, and Canadian (CSA-C804-96) guidelines for electrical efficiency. Beyond government regulations, operators also must meet energy efficiency requirements mandated by major corporations, school districts, colleges and universities, government bodies, etc., which control many machines at many locations throughout their facilities-situations where saving on electricity really adds up."

The Econo-cool™ lighting package saves up to 14 percent in energy using T-8 fluorescent tubes and electronic ballast compared to the current T-12 design. These bulbs last twice as long as standard T-12 lights and also save costs by eliminating as many as four service calls for bulb replacement, over the life of the vendor. Econo-cool™ also uses a compressor, which reduces energy consumption by up to 15 percent.

General Electric Co.'s high-efficiency evaporator fan was one of the biggest breakthroughs that contributed to the energy-efficiency of the Econo-cool™ Technology system. This highly efficient motor that powers GE's evaporator fan generates far less heat than conventional designs, which saves energy by accelerating the cooling process. The fan and motor combination can reduce electrical consumption by up to 21 percent. An additional benefit is the new fan system is much quieter in operation. This is a major benefit in indoor installations, particularly where multiple machines are located.

Beginning January 2002, Econo-cool™ retrofit units will be available for installation on newer Royal Vendors electronic machines built since 1996. Retrofit packages can be customized to include only, the lighting package, the compressor, the fan and motor, or a combination of all options.

Established in 1987, Royal Vendors is the global leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality cold-drink vending machines.