EKO purchased a block of shares to give it a significant holding in Kipp & Zonen. As a result of this linking of the two companies, EKO and Kipp & Zonen entered into a strategic alliance agreement covering the areas of marketing activities, manufacturing, and research and development. Kipp & Zonen has major operating facilitie in the Netherlands, and is a publicly traded science and technology company serving industrial, environmental, atmospheric and meteorological markets throughout the world. This alliance will provide benefits for both companies by expanding our respective market share and gaining plant and development effectiveness.