Flow International and Hormel Foods Reach Major Agreement to Develop Fresher Under Pressure Technology

KENT, Wash., Jan 31, 2001 /PRNewswire/ -- Flow International Corporation (Nasdaq: FLOW) today announced that it has completed a major installation of Fresher Under Pressure(R) equipment purchased by Hormel Foods Corp. for their Austin, Minnesota plant to be used in the production of a variety of prepared ham products.

The Fresher Under Pressure technology uses ultrahigh-pressure to destroy food-borne bacteria and organisms that cause health hazards and spoilage in fresh foods. It provides increased shelf life and improves product safety without affecting taste, texture, or nutritional value. Under the agreement, FLOW will provide equipment and technical support to Hormel's efforts to develop and commercialize the technology.

"We are extremely excited about working together with Hormel, one of the world's leading food companies," said Ron Tarrant, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of FLOW. "This relationship firmly establishes the viability of Fresher Under Pressure technology as a food production tool."

"This technology will be a tremendous tool for Hormel to use to ensure the integrity of our products without compromising quality," said Forrest Dryden, Vice President of Research & Development for Hormel. "We are anxious to immediately market these products which will have the added benefits of increased shelf life and product safety."

Flow International Corporation is the world's leading developer and manufacturer of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) waterjet technology for cutting, cleaning and food safety applications. FLOW provides total system solutions for industries such as automotive, aerospace, paper, job shop, surface preparation and food production.

Hormel is one of the nation's largest manufacturers and markets of consumer-branded meat and food products.