Infomedia and Ford Australia Renew Three-Year Data License

    NARRABEEN, Sydney, Australia--Jan. 2, 2002-- International automotive industry I.T. developer, Infomedia Ltd, today announced the renewal of a three-year data license agreement with Ford Motor Company of Australia (Ford) for supply of its flagship Microcat(R) electronic parts catalogue (EPC) system, to Ford dealers in Australia and New Zealand.
    Microcat is the leading electronic parts selling system for the automotive industry designed to make the selection and sale of vehicle replacement parts quicker, easier and more accurate. The Microcat EPC system is well regarded in Australia and around the world for its superior functionality and quality.
    This renewal continues the proud association between Infomedia and Ford, which commenced in 1991. At that time, Ford Australia's visionary management made it the first company to support the introduction of Microcat, which today is used by all the major automakers in Australia. Under this data license, Infomedia will continue to provide Microcat to more than 300 Ford ANZ dealers for their in-dealership and trade customer use.
    "Over the years, Ford and the Ford dealers have seen Infomedia make continuous improvements to the System. We are presently on our third major release of the system in Australia since 1991, with each new release bringing more features and advanced technology. I think this, combined with Infomedia's good working relationship with Ford were important factors leading to renewing this data license", stated Gary Martin, Infomedia's General Manager of Electronic Catalogues.
    Mr. Martin went on to say that as a result of the Internet, Microcat is entering a new era. "Ford's dealers are again going to be the first to experience new Infomedia technology in their businesses, as Microcat FRESH and Microcat LIVE become fully available to them by calendar Q3. Microcat FRESH and Microcat LIVE are Infomedia's new leading-edge Internet-based products."
    "This is an exciting time for us, our licensors and the dealers. Our Internet products are going to provide many new opportunities for dealers to increase their productivity, their genuine parts sales and their profitability," Richard Graham contributed. "Soon all of our Australian Microcat versions will be accessible by authorized dealers via the Internet. This will eliminate the need to ship and install Microcat CD-ROMs each month."
    Infomedia is presently in the process of commissioning its new Application Hosting Center (AHC) at its Narrabeen headquarters. The AHC will support the online (ASP) delivery of Microcat FRESH and LIVE as well as other online products of the company. In conjunction with Telstra Corporation, new high-performance bandwidth facilities are being installed that will provide professional levels of connectivity for users in both countries.
    Securing the renewal of this agreement with Ford follows recent announcements by Infomedia for the supply of Microcat to Land Rover and Hyundai dealers on a global basis, as well as Ford Motor Company and General Motors dealers in the Asia Pacific region.
    An EPC is a sophisticated business software application that aids parts and service personnel in a dealership to determine the correct replacement parts for a vehicle, from the hundreds of thousands of parts in stock. The Microcat parts selling system, operates both from traditional ROM-discs and via the Internet. Its speed of operation, smooth integration with order entry systems, broad choice of features and easy to use graphical interface, makes it very popular with users and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
    Infomedia Ltd is a publicly listed company, which specializes in the development and licensing of information technology solutions for automotive dealerships around the world. Its flagship electronic parts catalogue (EPC) product, Microcat(R), is used in 123 countries and 23 languages. Its Business Systems division provides sophisticated accounting and customer process systems for large and multi-franchised dealers in Australia. Datateck Publishing Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Infomedia, provides specialized OEM analytical work for parts catalogues and service documentation. The company is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and its trading code is IFM.

    Note to Editors: Microcat, Datateck and Infomedia are registered trademarks and Microcat FRESH and Microcat LIVE are trademarks of Infomedia Ltd.
    For further information or digital images contact: Nick Georges, General Counsel & Company Secretary, Infomedia Ltd, Ph: 02 9913 4715, or Email: ngeorges@infomedia.com.au