Leatt Corp. Announces SFI Certification of Car Racing Neck Brace and Addition of Jorn Steffens to R&D Team

CAPETOWN, South Africa, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Leatt Corporation (OTCQB: LEAT), a global developer, marketer and distributor of the Leatt-Brace®, a neck brace system designed to help prevent potentially devastating injuries to the cervical spine (neck) for helmeted sports, today announced that its new MRX neck brace has been certified by the SFI Foundation, Inc. (SFI), and that industry expert, Jorn Steffens, has joined the Company's research and product development team.

On November 1, 2012, the SFI Foundation, Inc. (SFI) notified the Company that its new MRX neck brace for automobile racing, had been tested and certified to the SFI's 38.1 Head and Neck Restraint System Standard.  The Company expects to launch this product in the latter half of 2013.The SFI is a non-profit organization established to issue and administer standards for specialty/performance automotive and racing equipment. SFI initial certification means that the Company has proven, through an independently administered test (authenticated and stamped by a registered professional Engineer), that its new MRX product has met or exceeded the requirements of the SFI Head and Neck Restraint Systems (Specification 38.1) established by the SFI.  SFI certification is valid for a 5-year period but test reports with successful test results must be submitted to SFI at least once every 24-month period following the date of the initial design validation test. SFI testing is compulsory for neck protection used in automotive racing in the United States. 

"We are delighted that our new MRX product has obtained SFI certification," commented Dr. Christopher Leatt, Leatt Chairman and Head of Research & Development.  "We view SFI certification as a validation of all the time and effort that our R&D team has dedicated on the development of this product and we look forward to its introduction to our customers in the coming months. We are also spurred by the prospect of introducing our MRX product into the U.S. automobile racing market where SFI certification was a requisite to gaining entry."

On October 1, 2012, Leatt also welcomed the addition of Jorn Steffens to its research and development team as a product development and design consultant. Mr. Steffens brings over 20 years of knowledge and experience of the research and development processes in the motorcycle clothing and accessories industries and functional clothing in general, as well as of global design, sourcing and production management.  Prior to joining Leatt, Mr. Steffens was the Procurement Manager of the UVEX Sports Group. Prior to UVEX, Mr. Steffens was part of the management team at the MAT Group, where he served two years as the Business Unit Manager for its Apparel and Body Protection department, and three years as its Business Development Manager.  Prior to that Mr. Steffens served as Manager of Leidel & Kracht Schaumstoff-Technik GmbH's Body Protection Division. Prior to his time at Leidel, Mr. Steffens served for over thirteen years in various design and engineering capacities in the protective clothing industry, including as Head of Product Management Global at Fairchild Sports, a manufacturer of protective clothing and accessories, as founder and owner of MotoPort Vertrieb, a distributor of first class motorcycle clothing and accessories, and at DiFi Dierk Filmer GmbH, a leading German motorcycle apparel, motorcycle spare parts and accessories distributor.

"We are pleased to have Jorn as a member of our research and development team," commented Leatt Chief Executive Officer, Sean Macdonald.  "We expect that his addition will help us in the continued development and global marketing of our protective products, and with our goal to expand our product offering and the range of sports in which our safety and protective products may be utilized."

About Leatt Corporation

Leatt Corporation develops, distributes and markets personal protective equipment and ancillary products for all forms of sports, especially extreme motor sports. The Leatt-Brace® is an award-winning neck brace system considered the gold standard for neck protection for anyone wearing a crash helmet as a form of protection. It was designed for participants in extreme sports or riding motorcycles, bicycles, mountain bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and other vehicles. For more information, visit: www.leatt-corp.com | www.leatt.com

Forward-looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Leatt Corporation (the "Company") within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements" including statements regarding: the significance of SFI certification of the Company's new MRX products and the ability of the Company to successfully market its new MRX products to customers or gain entry into the U.S. automobile racing market; the significance of Mr. Steffen's addition to the Company's research and development team and the ability of the Company to successfully develop and globally market new protective products and expand the range of sports in which its products are used; the general ability of the Company to achieve its commercial objectives; the business strategy, plans and objectives of the Company and its subsidiaries; and any other statements of non-historical information.  These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "seeks," "should," "could," "intends," or "projects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Any indication of the merits of a claim does not necessarily mean the claim will prevail at trial or otherwise. Financial performance in one fiscal period does not necessarily mean continued or better performance in the future. The Company's actual results in any endeavor may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, which factors or uncertainties may be beyond our ability to foresee or control. Other risk factors include the status of the Company's common stock as a "penny stock" and those listed in other reports posted on The OTC Markets Group, Inc.

Contacts:

Leatt Corporation
Sean Macdonald
Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]
+ (27) 21 557 7257

Allen & Caron, Inc.
Rudy Barrio (Investors)
[email protected]
(212) 691-8087

SOURCE Leatt Corporation