Proplanner Becomes a New Partner of the IMEP

    AMES, Iowa--April 30, 2003--Proplanner and the Iowa Manufacturing Extension Partnership (IMEP) announced today the new partnership that is designed to enhance the capacity of IMEP to deliver process improvement services to IMEP manufacturing clients in Iowa by utilizing Proplanner's web-based process engineering and planning software tools.
    Proplanner's software solutions meet the needs of engineers who design and plan processes for manufacturing complex parts and assemblies. Proplanner and IMEP are educating Iowa manufacturers through a series of joint process engineering seminars being held throughout the state during the month of May. The new partnership anticipates that IMEP manufacturing clients will likely begin using the service for a few users, and can grow their usage to the point where they may find it cheaper to purchase the software and run it from their in-house systems.
    IMEP and Proplanner are currently engaged in pilot field deployment of these applications by Iowa manufacturers. This process involves the delivery, installation, training, data entry and evaluation of these productivity improvement applications by industrial engineers and computer scientists trained in the use of the software.
    Willem F. Bakker , the director of IMEP, stated "Proplanner tools help manage industrial processes that are keys to continued prosperity for our industrial sector. This continuous improvement of the "value stream" of any enterprise is directly related to the competitiveness of that enterprise."
    The partnership is truly a celebration of Needs Meet Demands. Dave Sly, the president and founder of Proplanner said "There is no better organization in Iowa than the IMEP to introduce and evaluate new manufacturing technologies and concepts. The IMEP has been instrumental in the success of Proplanner and our ASP applications development and field evaluation."

    About Proplanner

    Proplanner develops web-based process planning software solutions for small and medium sized manufacturers from its headquarters at the ISU Research Park in Ames, Iowa. These applications automate, streamline and integrate engineering activities for industrial and manufacturing engineers who design and plan production systems for new and modified products. Built around the techniques of Lean Manufacturing and Total Quality Improvement and deployed via the Internet, Proplanner solutions reduce the time required to take newly deigned products and launch them into manufacturing with better product quality and fewer product launch mistakes. Company offices are located at 2321 North Loop Drive, Iowa State University Research Park, Ames, IA. Phone: 515-296-7526. Web: http://www.proplanner.net.

    About IMEP:

    The Iowa MEP is part of a nationwide network of NIST/manufacturing Extension Partnership that provides small- and mid-sized manufacturers with technical and business assistance as they upgrade their operations to boost performance and competitiveness. In line with the national objective, the mission of Iowa MEP is to assist +6,400 Iowa manufacturers to be more competitive and profitable. The organization has been successfully led by Mr. Willem F. Bakker since 1998. In the most recent third party national survey, IMEP has named to be the number one achiever among 75 centers in the nation for outstanding outcome in client assistance and client impact.