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

    BOISE, Idaho--Feb. 11, 2002--Quality Design Systems, Inc. (QDS), a business information provider for the tire and automotive service industries, today announced the acquisition of the operations of Open Road Technologies, Inc., 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 240 retread shops in the U.S. and Canada. Four of the top five retread companies in North America have company-owned stores and independent dealers who 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 point-of-sale 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 handheld applications for sales force and field service automation. These technologies are expected to play an important role in broadening the appeal of QDS to tire fleet managers -- a market of great importance to QDS parent company, Bandag, Incorporated.
    "We are very excited about QDS's acquisition of Open Road Technologies," said Mark Davison, chief information officer for Bandag. "Our long term objective is to continue building on QDS's strengths and position them as the premier business management solutions provider to our traditional commercial tire market, plus the broader retail tire and automotive aftermarket as a whole."

    Company Background

    Quality Design Systems, Inc.(QDS), developers of QDS TireMaster(R), the leading POS and accounting software package for the tire and automotive industry, 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 client's individual business circumstances and positions itself as the premier implementation partner in its industry. For more information visit the QDS website at http://www.qds-solutions.com.