GE Fanuc Teams With Datasweep to Provide Supply Chain Solutions

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. & SAN JOSE, Calif.--Oct. 1, 2001--GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc., a division of GE Industrial Systems, and Datasweep, Inc., a provider of web-based manufacturing, repair and analysis solutions, today announced an agreement to deliver an integrated, world-class collaborative manufacturing solution globally. Under the agreement, GE Fanuc can deliver the integrated solution to other GE businesses, the automotive segment and the process industry.
    The agreement brings together the powerful software capabilities of Datasweep with the e-manufacturing systems, global business expertise and customer support of GE Fanuc. Prior to formalizing the agreement, GE Fanuc implemented the combined solution at a GE manufacturing facility to improve correlation between production yields and key process parameters.
    "The global manufacturing community will be able to improve supply chain operations and realize substantial bottom line results from this alliance," said Kevin Roach, GE Fanuc's vice president, CIMPLICITY(R) business. "The combined manufacturing solution will allow our customers to bring products to their markets faster, raise quality, reduce work-in-process, decrease warranty expenses, and/or generate a higher return on net assets."
    GE Fanuc offers a broad line of industrial hardware and software automation solutions coupled with implementation, field service and customer support on a global scale. Datasweep develops and markets Advantage, a proven suite of web-based manufacturing, repair and analysis solutions used today by global leaders in the technology, industrial and automotive market segments. GE Fanuc will be extending, integrating and supporting Datasweep Advantage under the new name CIMPLICITY Advantage. Coupled with the popular CIMPLICITY suite of products, the new package provides a complete e-manufacturing solution, bringing together the plant floor with an integrated supply chain.
    "The market will applaud the alliance between GE Fanuc and Datasweep," said Bruce Richardson, senior vice president of research strategy at AMR Research. "We expect the two companies to drive much tighter links between the plant floor and the extended supply chain."
    In addition to implementing CIMPLICITY Advantage at other GE businesses, GE Fanuc plans to incorporate the solution at its own manufacturing facilities to increase operational efficiencies through inventory management and reduction. GE Fanuc manufactures products including Series 90(TM) and VersaMax(TM) programmable logic controllers and I/O.
    "GE is one of the most respected manufacturing companies in the world, and we are honored that Datasweep's solution is helping them to build on their lead in global supply chain operations effectiveness," said Vladimir Preysman, Datasweep's president and CEO. "We are very pleased that as a result of this alliance, GE Fanuc and Datasweep collectively can help automotive OEMs and other global manufacturers solve many of their strategic operations problems."