LONG BEACH, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 11, 2013) - Methode Electronics Power Solutions Group, a division of Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: [ MEI ]), today announced the launch of the SmartPower Stack™ (SPS), a state-of-the-art power inverter/converter that consists of high-performance insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), cutting-edge IGBT gate drives, innovative bus bar power distribution, thermal management, and optional film or electrolytic capacitors banks. The SPS comes assembled and tested, OEM ready for your application in energy (solar/wind), uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), motor drives and transportation. Standard models will be available from 50 to 125kW.

The SPS was made possible by grouping best-of-class components from Methode Electronics, National Instruments, Fuji Electric Corp. of America, SBE Inc., and AgileSwitch, LLC. Through technical and business collaboration, the SPS inverter/converter sub-system significantly reduces the cost and risk of deploying next-generation, smart grid-ready, digital energy conversion systems. This effort represents the industry's first collaboration to bring together superior technologies and graphical system design tools in a way that simultaneously reduces cost and increases performance through technology integration.

Methode's new SPS product is being unveiled at APEC 2013, the premier event in applied power electronics, at the Long Beach Convention Center March 17 to 21, 2013. The conference focuses on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business.

About Methode Electronics, Inc.
Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: [ MEI ]) is a global developer of custom engineered and application specific products and solutions with manufacturing, design and testing facilities in China, Egypt, Germany, India, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. We design, manufacture and market devices employing electrical, electronic, wireless, safety radio remote control, sensing and optical technologies to control and convey signals through sensors, interconnections and controls. Our business is managed on a segment basis, with those segments being Automotive, Interconnect, Power Products and Other. Our components are in the primary end markets of the automobile, computer, information processing and networking equipment, voice and data communication systems, consumer electronics, appliances, aerospace vehicles and industrial equipment industries. Further information can be found on Methode's Web site [ www.methode.com ].