QDS To Acquire Open Road Technologies; Purchase Strengthens Commercial Tire Market Position

    BOISE, Idaho--Feb. 8, 2002--Quality Design Systems, Inc. (QDS), a business information provider for the tire and automotive service industries, today announced the acquisition of Open Road Technologies, a developer of high-performance information management systems incorporating mobile computing, wireless networks and barcode technology and the leading provider of technology solutions to the commercial tire and retread industries.
    The acquisition marks the further expansion by QDS in the commercial tire and automotive aftermarket, and strengthens the company's IT offering in those markets while solidifying its leadership as the business information solutions provider to the retail tire industry.
    Open Road Technologies is best known for its retread shop management system, RoadWare(TM), which is used by more than 230 retread shops in the U.S. and Canada. Four of the top five retread companies in the U.S., including Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (whose customer-specific version is GTRACS(TM)), Bandag, and Oliver Rubber Company, use Open Road products.
    "Our purchase of Open Road Technologies not only provides QDS with a proven business management tool to offer commercial tire customers, but has tremendous synergy in terms of its future integration with our POS and accounting software modules," said Ed Engel, president of QDS. "This acquisition moves us closer to our goal of becoming a `best of breed' supplier of enterprise-wide, end-to-end business management solutions to the tire and automotive service markets."
    In addition to its expertise in business management software for the tire retread market, Open Road Technologies has developed robust technologies in ruggedized, mobile computing and pen-based applications that enable on-time production scheduling and paperless work-in-process shop floor control. These technologies are expected to play an important role broadening the appeal of QDS to tire fleet managers -- a market of great importance to QDS parent company, Bandag.
    "We are very excited about QDS's acquisition of Open Road Technologies," stated Mark Davision, CIO of Bandag. "Our long term objective is to transfer responsibility for our IT product development roadmap to QDS as a means not only of bringing new and highly integrated business management solutions to our traditional commercial tire market, but to broaden that solutions reach to the automotive aftermarket as a whole."

    Company Background

    Quality Design Systems (QDS) is a business information solutions provider delivering integrated business management and accounting functionality to underserved market niches. Extensive in-house design, service, training and deployment resources enable QDS to meet the needs of business in targeted vertical markets by differentiating itself through a customized user experience. In addition to developing its own software, QDS works closely with its customers to adapt best of breed technology to each clients' individual business circumstances and positions itself as the premier implementation partner in its industry. For more information visit the QDS web site at http://www.qds-solutions.com.