Ford Fuels Efficiency With VisualPlant(TM) Purchase

      Auto Maker Adds Manufacturing Intelligence Software at Third Plant

    CHICAGO, March 5 Ford Motor Company is the
latest auto maker to buy Manufacturing Intelligence software from Executive
Manufacturing Technologies of London, Ontario.  With auto plant downtime at
major facilities averaging thousands of dollars a minute, the Canadian firm's
web-based technology has found favor as manufacturers look to reduce costs in
a slowing market.

    Ford is purchasing VisualPlant(TM) for its St. Thomas Assembly Plant in
St. Thomas, Ontario.  The plant produces the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury
Grand Marquis luxury sedans.

    VisualPlant(TM) fits the e-business movement underway in the auto
industry.  The Ford purchase follows a pilot project last June at the St.
Thomas facility.  VisualPlant(TM) is replacing existing custom data collection
and analysis systems at the Ford plant.  Plant staff will now be able to
easily access real time and historical production data over a web browser.

    This is the third purchase of VisualPlant(TM) by Ford and includes a
maintenance contract. Today's purchase announcement at the National
Manufacturing Week trade show in Chicago will see VisualPlant(TM) operating in
12 North American automotive manufacturing facilities.

    "With the current slowdown in the auto sector, manufacturers are looking
for new ways to streamline their production activities to reduce costs and
remain competitive globally," says Dennis Cocco, CEO, Executive Manufacturing
Technologies.  "The ability to quickly identify sources of production downtime
and slowdowns with VisualPlant(TM) provides huge cost savings."

    VisualPlant(TM) is the newest Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence
software developed by Executive Manufacturing Technologies of London, Ontario.
A privately held company, Executive Manufacturing Technologies is the leader
in web-based software solutions that give manufacturers an alternative to
costly custom-configured programs.

    VisualPlant(TM) can be installed quickly and is capable of managing all
manufacturing information like production efficiency, downtime monitoring,
component tracking and validation. Built on Microsoft .Net for Manufacturing,
VisualPlant(TM) delivers access to plant floor information anywhere using a
browser and an Internet connection.