Gates Corporation will supply belts and sprockets to replace chains typically used in the international competition.

Denver, Colo. November 06, 2012

Gates Corporation, a leading manufacturer of industrial, automotive and heavy-duty products, announced that the 2013 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) has made the switch from chains to belts to power the wheels of robots developed in the program's international competitions for high school students.

Gates will supply belts and sprockets in the drive chassis Kit of Parts that each team receives. Between 1.5 and 2 pounds lighter than a chain drive system, belts require no maintenance, making them an ideal solution for nimble robotic drive systems. FRC-specific testing has also shown belts to be a more efficient system than chain drives, enabling teams to reduce assembly time since they no longer have to break chain or assemble master links.

A supplier of FRC kit parts since 2007, Gates has been a Crown Supplier for the past two years, providing over $500,000 worth of power transmission products to be used by students to design and build robots which are then tested in regional competitive games. Student teams demonstrate their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and earn honors and recognition for design excellence, competitive play, and sportsmanship.

"Gates is committed to helping develop future engineers," said Tribby Warfield, President, Gates North America Commercial. "By providing these young people with opportunities to build on their talents and interests in the STEM disciplines through critical educational programs such as FIRST Robotics, we know we're contributing to the talent that will shape our future world."

FRC has been praised for promoting high-impact partnerships between schools, businesses and communities. In its 21st season, FRC includes more than 2,340 teams of high school students from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey, and the U.K. who compete in 52 regional competitions.

For more information, contact Greg Vigil at 303-744-5384 or visit http://www.gates.com/first.

ABOUT FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and more than $14 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) for high-school students, FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S., Canada and Mexico) and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®) for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to http://www.usfirst.org.

About Gates Corporation
Gates Corporation is a global, diversified industrial company that provides advanced power transmission and fluid transfer solutions by engineering products and services that reduce the total cost of ownership for a wide variety of applications. Our products and services serve customers in five key end market segments: Energy/Exploration/Extraction, Infrastructure & Agriculture, Transportation, Automotive, and Process & Specialty. As an engineering leader with a strong foundation in research and development, Gates is committed to advancing the science of motion performance by developing safe, forward-thinking products, services, systems, and solutions, as well as fostering long-term customer and employee relationships. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Gates employs over 14,000 people across 106 locations in 30 countries.