ABS Quality Evaluations Certifies Prison Industry Authority to ISO 9001 Standard

February 7, 2007

Houston, Texas—ABS Quality Evaluations, Inc. (ABS QE) certified the quality management system of the Prison Industry Authority (PIA), headquartered in Folsom, California, on January 29, 2007, to ISO 9001:2000 certification. The scope of certification covers the design and manufacture of modular metal furniture. These operations are performed on site at Avenal, California. The PIA certification is the first of its type for ABS QE and the scope of certification will be expanded to cover products and activities at Folsom and other PIA locations. The certification audit was performed by Karl Franz and Don Wineinger.

PIA is an inmate work program that provides productive job opportunities for inmates in California correctional institutions. PIA's primary function is to rehabilitate inmates and facilitate their successful re-entry into society. PIA work assignments support prison safety, help reduce violence, reimburse victims, provide productive activity for inmates, and produce quality products.

In a formal presentation to PIA management and the Prison Industry Board, Herzl Marouni, Vice President of Certification, ABS Quality Evaluations, presented the ISO 9001:2000 certificate on January 26, 2007, and toured the facility.

For more information on the Prison Industry Authority, visit www.pia.ca.gov.

About ABS Quality Evaluations

ABS QE expertise spans quality, health, safety, environmental, social accountability and security management system audits, vendor supply chain compliance assessments, and certification and training services. Through offices worldwide, ABS QE provides global certification, auditing and training services to leading organizations. Some of the markets served are oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical, machinery and equipment, aerospace and defense, pharmaceutical, food processing, electronics, automotive and consumer goods, among others. ABS QE is distinguished by having highly qualified auditors, many of whom have more than 15 years of specific industry and audit experience.

ABS QE, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is accredited by the largest and most respected accreditation organizations worldwide.

For more information, Contact:

Kristy Evenson
Marketing Coordinator
ABS Group of Companies
1-281-673-2948 | kevenson@abs-group.com