Breaking News/ Press Release
For Immediate Release Proficiency Adds Lockheed Martin to Strategic Advisor Program Leading Aerospace Manufacturer to Advise on Products and Strategy Marlborough, MA – April 23, 2001 -- Proficiency Incorporated today announced that Lockheed Martin Corporation has become a Strategic Advisor to the company. In this capacity, Lockheed Martin will review Proficiency’s product plans and technical strategies and advise Proficiency on priorities and areas of concentration. Lockheed Martin joins Proficiency’s Strategic Advisor Program following a successful pilot test of a pre-release version of Proficiency’s Collaboration Gateway, software which allows engineering departments at manufacturers and their suppliers to share design information during the cooperative product design and development process – commonly referred to as engineering supply chain collaboration. According to Howard Schimmoller, of Lockheed Martin’s Engineering Process Improvement (EPI) Program, "Our Mechanical Engineering Subcouncil is very interested in improving the collaborative capabilities between the various business units they represent and with our suppliers. Consequently, the EPICenter will take an active role providing guidance to Proficiency’s technology development efforts." Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics and technology services. Lockheed Martin’s Engineering Process Improvement Program facilitates the implementation of state-of-the-art processes in high payback areas to continuously reduce the cost of engineering at Lockheed Martin Companies. "We are very pleased that Lockheed Martin has joined our Strategic Advisor Program," said Michael Jannery, Vice President of Marketing at Proficiency. "Their expertise in large scale engineering design projects and their strategic vision for collaborative engineering in the aerospace sector will be invaluable to Proficiency as we bring our product to market." Proficiency’s Collaboration Gateway is under development, and is currently being tested by a number of aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment, and high-tech manufacturers and suppliers in North America, Europe, and Japan. The product is expected to be commercially available in the middle of 2001. About Proficiency, Inc. Proficiency, Inc., the innovator in engineering supply chain collaboration, is headquartered in Marlborough, MA. The Proficiency Collaboration Gateway allows development teams within manufacturers and their suppliers to efficiently collaborate on the design of highly complex products. Funded by Charles River Ventures, Chase H&Q / Eucalyptus Ventures, and Concord Ventures, Proficiency is privately held, and has a staff more than 110 employees in the US and Israel. The company has numerous patents pending in engineering information representation technology. Proficiency's solutions are targeted at the engineering supply chain--the segment of the overall supply chain focused on the design of the product and its components. Industry analysts estimate that 70-80% of supply chain costs are incurred during this design phase, and improved engineering collaboration can accelerate time to market and greatly reduce program costs. Proficiency is focused on developing solutions directly applicable to the engineering supply chain, in which design intelligence and business processes must be shared and communicated. More information is available at www.proficiency.com. Proficiency and the Collaboration Gateway are trademarks of Proficiency, Ltd. Corporate Contact: Dennis Tompkins, Director of Industry Relations, Proficiency, Inc., Tel: 508.486.9868, x242 Fax: 508.486.9068, dennist@proficiency.com Agency Contact: Joseph Romano, Senior Account Manager, HighGround, Inc., Tel: 781.246.5522, x208, Fax: 781.246.5432, jromano@highgroundinc.com # # # Kindest Regards, Joe Romano Senior Account Manager HighGround, Inc. Boston: 781-246-5522, Ext. 208 (primary number) London: 44 (0)1716 812605 Amsterdam: 31 (0)20 524-8113 Research Triangle Park: 919-474-5079 Boca Raton: 561-447-8208 jromano@highgroundinc.com " Public Relations and Marketing for Emerging High Technology " www.highgroundinc.com