Hot Banana, the Web Content Management system from J.L. Halsey continues to expand in the Middle East, Partners with Kuwait-based Neshami

Web CMS to help standardise internal and external communication of companies, to add value to brand equity

Dubai, September 12 2007: The leading SEO-friendly Web Content Management system, Hot Banana, today announced its continued efforts to expand in the Middle East region via its strategic partnership with Kuwait-based company, Neshami.

As part of a partner-led strategy, Hot Banana joined hands in 2004 with one of Kuwait's leading IT firms, Neshami. Neshami's extensive online offerings include website consultancy, custom application development, e-business solutions, web content management, web analytics and email marketing, amongst other IT initiatives.

At the ongoing GITEX Technology Week at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Ms. Krista LaRiviere, Cofounder and General Manager, Hot Banana, said: "There is increasing awareness among enterprises in the region on the cutting-edge benefits a Web CMS solution can bring and we are upbeat about our presence through Neshami in this market. We foresee a significant growth opportunity for Hot Banana in the Web CMS market in the Middle East region, which is now a significant geographical area in our marketing plans."

Hot Banana is a wholly owned, subsidiary of J.L. Halsey (OTCBB: JLHY), a publicly traded, Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A. company, and a leading eMarketing software solution provider to small and mid-sized businesses.

"We believe the adoption of Web CMS solutions is at its infancy in the Middle East with a large number of companies not yet realizing the benefits the solution can bring to an organization including the standardization in style, external and internal communication and brand management," LaRiviere said.

Ms. LaRiviere said the expertise of Hot Banana and the local market knowledge of Neshami is a win-win relationship. Neshami has served some of the leading institutions in Kuwait, and across several sectors including media & publishing, construction, insurance, investment and financial services, internet classifieds, sports clubs, non-profit and airline. Neshami has also been recognized by KNET, Kuwait's shared Electronic Banking Services Company, for its continued excellence in integrating online payment gateway to its clients. Some of the company's clients include Aayan Leasing and Investment, Jazeera Airways Online Reservation, Al Safat Investment Company, Aayan Online Payment etc. in Kuwait

Commenting on the partnership with Hot Banana, Mr. AbdulAziz Khajah from Neshami, said: "We have been delighted with our partnership with Hot Banana, it has helped us to add value to our offerings in the regional market, including the UAE, which is now the largest market for Web CMS solutions in the GCC. Many companies are interested in learning about the advantages of a Web CMS tool in this growing E-Marketing environment. Our offerings allow clients to take control of their online initiatives through Web CMS, Web analytics, and email marketing tools. A key importance in choosing a Web CMS partner was the flexibility to quickly deploy multiple websites, and critically in different languages. The Web CMS solution, Hot Banana, allows our clients to create, manage, distribute and deliver content at a reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)."

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About Hot Banana Software, Inc.
Hot Banana (www.hotbanana.com) is an award-winning Web CMS that helps marketers build and manage SEO-friendly Web sites that can be automated and optimized for maximum lead generation and conversion performance. Hot Banana is available as a Software as a Service (SaaS), hosted offering or as a licensed software ColdFusion CMS, with everything an eMarketer needs, including Web site optimization and marketing automation tools. Specifically designed for small-to-midsize companies, Hot Banana has more than 200 clients worldwide.

Located in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, with a U.S. office in Menlo Park, California, Hot Banana is the Web content management solution from J.L. Halsey Corporation (OTCBB:JLHY), a leading provider of technology solutions for mid-size marketers. J.L. Halsey's other marketing technology solutions include Lyris, EmailLabs, Sparklist and ClickTracks.

Hot Banana is a registered trademark of Hot Banana Software Inc. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.