Yamaha Launches Consumer Website Catalog Using ARI's EMPARTweb
MILWAUKEE--June 24, 2003--ARI (OTCBB:ARIS), a leading provider of catalog-enabled business solutions to connect equipment manufacturers with their service and distribution networks announced today that Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. of Cypress, Calif. has licensed ARI's EMPARTweb(TM) software for use on their consumer website. In addition, Yamaha will expand the deployment of ARI's PartSmart(TM) electronic parts catalog software for use by its dealers and ARI will begin providing first level technical support to Yamaha dealers.
Under the agreement, Yamaha has licensed EMPARTweb to provide the foundation for an electronic parts catalog on their consumer website. Prior to this agreement, only authorized Yamaha dealers had access to the up-to-date parts information distributed via ARI's PartSmart CD-based catalog.
"More and more consumers are now performing routine maintenance and repair work themselves. As a result, we recognized the need to provide end users with access to the most up-to-date parts information available," said Dan Caviness, assistant division manager of publications and Y.E.S. (Yamaha extended service sales) for Yamaha Motor Corporation. "Consumers will now be able to look up the parts information they need, create a list of needed parts and then fax or take the order directly to an authorized Yamaha dealer. When we decided to make our information available at the consumer level, the ARI data conversion team was able to quickly and cost-effectively deliver our data in EMPARTweb for distribution on our website. ARI has proven to be a true partner throughout this process. The result is that we have been able to provide indispensable tools to our dealers and customers," added Caviness.
According to Caviness, Yamaha made the decision to expand deployment of PartSmart based on the positive dealer response during the initial rollout to dealers last summer. "Our dealers have found PartSmart to be so easy to use that we received little, if any negative response to the discontinuation of our microfiche support. During the initial rollout, we had provided first level support to our dealers. We learned quickly, however, that our dealers will be best served by having ARI's highly respected technical support team provide them with 24x7 support," concluded Caviness.
"Yamaha's decision to provide consumers access to the same up-to-date information as dealers have and to expand their deployment of PartSmart demonstrates their commitment to providing their customers with the tools they need to succeed," said Brian E. Dearing, chairman and chief executive officer of ARI. "We are pleased not only to provide Yamaha with additional products and services, but to strengthen our strategic relationship with them as well." According to Dearing, under the new agreement, Yamaha joins the growing number of manufacturers who have extended their relationship with ARI in order to take advantage of ARI's full suite of catalog products and services. Dearing indicated that ARI's suite of catalog products includes PartSmart, EMPARTweb, EMPARTpublisher(TM) and EMPARTviewer(TM).
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. is a leading manufacturer of motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, generators, golf cars, snowmobiles, and sport boats.
ARI is a leading provider of electronic catalog-enabled business solutions for sales, service and life-cycle product support in the manufactured equipment market. ARI currently provides approximately 80 parts catalogs (many of which contain multiple lines of equipment) for approximately 60 equipment manufacturers in the U.S. and Europe. More than 75,000 catalog subscriptions are provided through ARI to over 20,000 dealers and distributors in more than 100 countries in a dozen segments of the worldwide manufactured equipment market including outdoor power, recreation vehicle, floor maintenance, auto and truck parts aftermarket, power sports, marine and construction. The Company builds and supports a full suite of multi-media electronic catalog publishing and viewing software for the Web or CD and provides expert catalog publishing and consulting services. ARI e-Catalog systems support a variety of electronic pathways for parts orders, warranty claims and other transactions between manufacturers and their networks of sales and service points. In addition, ARI also provides a template-based dealer website service that makes it quick and easy for an equipment dealer to have a professional and attractive website. ARI currently operates three offices in the United States and one in Europe and has sales and service agents in Australia, England and France providing marketing and support of its products and services.
