CSM Worldwide and Saphran Partner to Offer Unique Planning Software for Automotive Suppliers

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., May 12, 2004 -- CSM Worldwide Inc., the leading provider of automotive market intelligence and forecasting, has partnered with Saphran, experts in strategic-planning software, to develop and provide CSM customers with new software powered by CSM's comprehensive global data. The unique programs will allow automotive suppliers to optimize profitability by improving the processes of business forecasting, costing and quoting, and cost planning throughout the entire life cycle of a supplier's product portfolio.

The software the two companies developed, Saphran PartBase Forecast Manager powered by CSM Worldwide, greatly enhances an automotive supplier's ability to make critical business decisions and plan for future business opportunities and risks. At most auto suppliers, several different systems are used to support the various stages of a product's life cycle, from target and quote opportunities to awarded business and current production.

PartBase Forecast Manager enables executives to analyze any facet of their book of business against multiple market scenarios. This in turn empowers executives to make data-driven, strategic decisions regarding capital investment, product mix, profit planning, target customers, and markets and outsourcing.

According to CSM President and CEO Craig Cather, "Information must be actionable. PartBase Forecast Manager is a tool that allows auto suppliers to analyze their business at a very granular and aggregate level for timely, well-informed decision making.

"Saphran has proven to be a strong partner in this effort," continued Cather. "Not only do they possess a best-in-class approach to software development, but their team consists of many automotive veterans who understand the complexities of operating an automotive supplier company."

Saphran's contribution to PartBase Forecast Manager is providing a comprehensive set of standardized tools, tailored to the requirements of the automotive supplier industry, that effectively identify opportunities to improve profitability.

"PartBase Forecast Manager leverages all the information that already exists in supplier's organizations, plus the data that suppliers had but couldn't effectively incorporate in their forecasting methodology," said Mike Mansfield, Saphran's president.

A full product version of PartBase Forecast Manager will be launched at the end of June 2004. For information and a demonstration, contact John Brennan at CSM Worldwide, 248.380.9000, or johnbrennan@csmauto.com .

CSM Worldwide (www.csmauto.com ) supports more than 350 of the world's top automakers, suppliers and financial organizations with market intelligence and forecasting services. With corporate offices in metro Detroit, CSM Worldwide covers the global automotive environment from London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Shanghai, Bangalore, and Budapest.

Saphran (www.saphran.com ) provides automotive suppliers with comprehensive tools tailored to the hyper-competitive automotive industry. Founded in 2001, Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Saphran provides a suite of software solutions with advanced forecasting, costing and quoting, and cost planning functionality, incorporating improved workflow collaboration along with new levels of data integration and accuracy.