INCAT Helps Cut Vredestein Banden Time to Market by 50 Percent

General tooling costs reduced by 25 percent

LONDON, DETROIT, and AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 12 -- INCAT announced today that its operation in The Netherlands has entered into an engagement with tire manufacturer Vredestein Banden there that has helped that organization realize a 50 percent reduction in time to market through more efficient development of molds and a reduction, by 25 percent, of general tooling costs.

Vredestein Banden representatives attribute the improvements to INCAT's expertise in working methodology and process development, along with the introduction of a new 3D software application -- CATIA(R) V5 from Dassault Systemes.

"It was very clear to us that our old way of working -- within a 2D environment -- negatively influenced our competitive position. We, therefore, were seeking a reliable partner who fully understood our problems and possessed specific and extensive expertise to guide us to a better and faster way of working. In INCAT, we have found that partner," said Robert Gerritsen, Vredestein Banden Senior Project Engineer - Molds.

"We started with a discovery, to assess the existing methods and resources, and to analyze Vredestein's current way of working," said Tom Kalkman, INCAT Managing Director - The Netherlands. "In addition, we interviewed all those working in the existing methodology to ensure that the introduction of a new methodology, in combination with the new 3D tool, would yield the success desired."

On the strength and accuracy of its initial discovery analysis, the INCAT team was able to launch a pilot tire mold development project that demonstrated immediate cost- and time-savings to Vredestein Banden, according to Kalkman.

"Upon completion of the pilot, Vredestein Banden came to the decision to fully deploy the INCAT methodology and recommended 3D software solution," Kalkman said.

"Our intended goals were achieved," said Gerritsen. "The time we needed to develop a new product line was reduced by 50 percent and we realized a cost-savings in our general tooling. Vredestein is delighted with the way INCAT approached and tackled our challenges, and with how INCAT has made us capable of improving our competitive position in the market."

About INCAT

INCAT (RIC: ICN.L) is listed on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange. Founded in 1989, INCAT is an international provider of software services and solutions focused on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), principally to the automotive, aerospace and durable goods manufacturing industries. PLM seeks to improve a manufacturing company's product development processes and its ability to use product-related information to make better business decisions and deliver better products to its clients.

INCAT is headquartered in the UK (Bristol) and in North America (Detroit) with offices in France, Mexico, Germany, Canada, Japan, Singapore and The Netherlands. INCAT employs more than 700 people, and has more than 2,000 clients worldwide including Airbus, AugustaWestland, BAE Systems, Boeing, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda, Joy Mining and Northrop Grumman. For further information, visit the website: http://www.incat.com/

About Vredestein Banden

Vredestein Banden B.V.: A special company with a unique combination of independence, market-orientation, creativity and flexibility. Vredestein's strategy is crystal clear: to produce tires with an optimal price-quality ratio. As a middle-sized, independent tire manufacturer, the best way to implement this strategy has been to opt for a flat organizational structure. Decisions can be taken quickly and reliably, and enable an even faster development of original products.

Thanks to heavy investment over the recent years, the production equipment in the Enschede-based premises is state-of-the-art. It is perfectly geared to the complex task of producing an incredibly wide range of tires on one site. http://www.vredestein.com/