MarketWatch

— July 26, 2006

IBM Joins With MSC Software to Enhance PLM Capabilities
IBM and MSC Software Corp. have forged a worldwide strategic alliance. MSC, a provider of simulation software and services for product design, will embed IBM technology into its SimManager Enterprise application. The deal integrates a service-oriented architecture (SOA) with DB2, Websphere and Tivoli, to meet what the partners said is a growing demand for computer-aided engineering (CAE) and analysis in the PLM space. IBM Global Services will develop Centers of Competence to help supply CAE software to clients in association with SimManager Enterprise implementations. IBM Global Services will also resell and implement SimManager Enterprise, and both companies will undertake joint sales and marketing activities to promote the offering. According to the partners, the combined SOA service will allow customers to take advantage of “on-demand” systems built from reusable components that help curb development costs and improve time to market. The effort combines MSC's simulation domain expertise with IBM's infrastructure.
http://www.mscsoftware.com/

SAP Boosts Number of Reseller Partners for Business One
SAP America, Inc. has added 20 reseller partner locations to sell SAP Business One software in markets across the U.S. The new value-added resellers (VARs) sign on even as sales of Business One continue to increase through existing partners. Through the PartnerEdge channel partner program, both new and growing partners will increase the local availability of Business One, while providing enhanced vertical industry expertise nationwide, the company said. It chose the new partners by identifying qualified resellers that have achieved “trusted adviser” status within their respective regions. The partners include Connect Vision of Orlando, FL; Dean Consulting of Chicago; Dalcom Consulting of Greensboro, N.C.; Data Business Systems of Virginia Beach, Va.; The Elevation Group, LLC of Allentown, Pa.; 5th Gear Solutions of Lake Forest, Calif.; Munics Information Systems, Inc. of Clifton, N.J.; Niefert Certified Solutions of San Diego, Calif.; Real Solutions of Chicago; Software Outfitters of Boise, Id.; and TBC International Inc. of Salado, TX. Three other Business One resellers have expanded operations: IMG Americas, Inc. of Kennett Square, Pa.; PSM McGladrey Inc. of Bloomington, Minn.; and Tryarc LLC of Los Angeles.
http://www.sap.com/

Microsoft Unveils New “Business Ready” Plan for Dynamics
Microsoft Corp. has created a Business Ready Licensing model and the Business Ready Enhancement Plan for Microsoft Dynamics, the vendor's line of financial, customer-relationship management and supply-chain management applications. Business Ready Licensing streamlines pricing for Microsoft Dynamics components, including AX, GP, NAV and SL, by moving to a model based primarily on the number of concurrent users who actually use the software. The model has three offerings: Microsoft Dynamics Business Essentials, Advanced Management and Advanced Management Enterprise. They are based primarily on common functionality and, according to Microsoft, represent a price reduction for a typical entry-level configuration, eliminating much of the complexity of licensing enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Business Essentials is a financial and supply-chain management package designed for companies needing a core financial management and trade application that can scale up as their business grows. Advanced Management is for companies that need complex financial and accounting programs, and are looking for ways to manage advanced processes for their financials, supply-chain management, manufacturing and project-accounting needs. Advanced Management Enterprise extends the previous edition by adding advanced supply-chain management, field service, configuration, manufacturing and development capabilities on a flat-fee basis.
http://www.microsoft.com/

Swiss WorldCargo Cooperates With Jade Cargo on European Sales
Swiss WorldCargo, the air-cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines, has entered into a joint sales and service agreement with Jade Cargo International, a newly established freighter operator based in China. Beginning immediately, Jade will be supported by Swiss WorldCargo for sales and service in France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The deal will help Jade to build up sales coverage in those countries. The choice of Swiss WorldCargo was due to the carrier's success in selling to the freight-forwarder community in Europe, the partners said. Swiss WorldCargo's marketing and sales organization will support Jade through offices in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Shenzhen, China, to ensure fast implementation and representation of the new freighter airline's interests. Swiss WorldCargo said it will shortly appoint a dedicated sales manager to oversee activities in the assigned territories. Jade will commence operations at the beginning of August, immediately following delivery of its first flight, a Boeing 747-400ERF with capacity of 111 tons. The aircraft will include space for 30 main-deck and nine lower-deck pallets. Initially, Jade will serve Amsterdam Schiphol and Seoul Incheon each three times a week from its Shenzhen cargo hub.
http://www.swissworldcargo.com/

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Geomagic Opens Wholly-Owned Subsidiary in Shanghai, China
Geomagic, a global software and services firm headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., has opened a wholly owned subsidiary in Shanghai. Formation of Geomagic (Shanghai) Software Co., Ltd. was in response to increasing demand for the vendor's products in the Chinese manufacturing market, Geomagic said. Previously, it was represented in China through a branch office. China is a growing market, especially in the areas of design and testing, the company said. The new subsidiary will provide sales, training and support to customers throughout the region. Development and software testing are also performed in China. All Geomagic software products, including Studio and Qualify, are available in the Chinese language. The entity is located in the new economic development zone in the heart of the city, five miles from the domestic Shanghai airport. Geomagic's software allows engineers and product designers to transform scan data from physical objects into accurate digital models, for applications ranging from digital shape reconstruction for mass customization and reverse engineering, to computer-aided inspection.
http://www.geomagic.com/

API Opens European Logistics, Creates New Business Group
Aerospace Products International, Inc. (API), a provider of distribution and supply-chain services for the aviation industry, has opened a distribution and logistics center in Luton, England. Located at Luton Airport, the facility is API's first dedicated operation in Europe. It includes 7,000 square feet of storage space initially, with immediate capability to expand to 14,000 square feet in line with demand. API said it sees an emerging market for its distribution and supply-chain expertise in Europe's aviation, aerospace and defense segments. From the facility, API will supply parts for all of its European customers, as well as pre-position parts on a third-party logistics basis for corporate jet-maker Gulfstream. API also announced the formation of a Materials Management organization, whose job will be to develop business relationships with suppliers. Through various technologies, including its recent implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software from SAP AG, API will be able to link suppliers to end users. A wholly owned subsidiary of First Aviation Services Inc., API distributes aircraft parts and related products to manufacturers, maintenance providers and operators of commercial and general aviation aircraft. Its supply-chain services include logistics, forecasting, procurement, inventory management, rotables management and product sales.
European Logistics Hub: http://www.apiworldwide.com/
Materials Management Group: http://www.apiworldwide.com/

Radio Beacon Creates European Office, Based in Netherlands
Radio Beacon Inc., a vendor of warehouse management system (WMS) software for distributors, manufacturers and third-party logistics providers, has opened an office in Europe. It is located in Zundert, the Netherlands. According to the company, the Radio Beacon Europe unit will become a center of product knowledge and supply-chain excellence, recruiting channel partners to market the WMS package to the region. The new location is a direct response to growing demand for WMS software tailored to small and mid-sized businesses, Radio Beacon said. Over the past two years, the company has established a network of channel partners and customers in countries such as the Czech Republic, Latvia, the Netherlands, Russia and the United Kingdom. The new Europe office will work with customers and partners across a broader spectrum of European countries. The Netherlands was chosen for its multi-cultural and multilingual environment, as well as its central geographical location, the company said. In addition, Radio Beacon has launched a website that is accessible in all of the major European languages.
http://www.radiobeacon.com/

Omron RFID Offers “Global Loop” Inlay for Multiple Countries
Omron RFID has made available the Gen2 “Global Loop” inlay, which can be used under North American, European and Japanese radio frequency bands in a single tag design. The Gen2 Loop was designed to ensure a high level of read performance when the tag is applied to items containing materials that are unfriendly to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, including electronics equipment and products with high moisture content. The Loop tag delivers reliable read ranges when the orientation on the product is not fixed or could change after application, the company said, adding that improved pallet tag-read rates are the result. The inlays can be used with all international UHF RFID frequencies from 860 to 960 MHz with little or no performance degradation, Omron claimed. The new product is in addition to the vendor's previously announced “Wave” tag.
http://www.omronrfid.com/

ILOG Develops Production Scheduler for Semiconductor Fabs
ILOG has introduced ILOG Fab PowerOps, a software package designed to address production scheduling for all essential front-end process areas within a 300-millimeter semiconductor fabrication plant (fab). According to the vendor, the tool can create forward-looking production schedules for all tools within a given fab process area, as well as create new schedules every five minutes. Available immediately as a suite of modules, ILOG FPO permits detailed scheduling, which lets users automatically and continuously respond to conditions in the fab environment. The software supports re-entrant flows, allowing for work in progress on one machine to return to the same machine later in the process. In addition, it simultaneously schedules across all tools within a process area. ILOG FPO addresses production-scheduling issues across the following process areas: diffusion, photo, etch, thin films, chemical mechanical polishing and implant. Scheduling problems can be addressed based on real conditions in the fab environment, giving users more control over unplanned events.
http://www.ilog.com/

Houston's Bush Intercontinental Welcomes Cargoitalia Flights
Cargoitalia this month will begin operating two weekly flights between Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Milan, Italy. The airline becomes the first Italian all-cargo carrier to operate out of Houston. Scheduled service will include an 11:30 p.m. Saturday arrival at IAH, departing early Sunday morning, and a 2:00 a.m. Thursday arrival which departs three hours later. Based out of Milan Malpensa, Cargoitalia operates with a fleet of three DC10-30F aircraft. Its primary markets are in Asia and the U.S. The cargo area at IAH covers 880,000 square feet. The airport is the 10th largest international gateway in the U.S., moving more than 347,000 metric tons of air cargo last year.
http://www.fly2houston.com/

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