SAE International Launches New Services to Aid Auto Industry

DETROIT, January 22, 2009: SAE International's Automotive Resources Institute (SAE-ARi), a diverse network of certified automotive industry experts, now offers services that can provide immediate and effective results for automotive industry suppliers and OEMs facing today's unstable market and continuing challenges.

"The economic downturn is causing everyone to adjust to new requirements on a daily basis," Neil Schilke, managing director of ARi, said. "More than ever, the industry needs to be inventive and aggressive about how it positions its products, ensures quality, manages inventory and adapts to change. Our team of senior-level engineering, marketing and business experts has 'been there and done that.'"

Employing industry best practices and proven project methodologies, the new services launched by ARi will focus on four strategic areas:

--  Technology Positioning and Commercialization for creating an
      integrated set of blueprints to take new products to market.
  
--  Quality Engineering for optimizing supply chain management through
      auditing, inspection and certification programs.

--  Supply Chain Management for streamlining logistics and raising overall
      customer satisfaction levels.

--  Corporate Management, Process and Performance for increasing the
      organization's overall effectiveness and health to better adapt to new
      technologies, markets and challenges.

Schilke notes: "Our experts are guided by structured methodologies that integrate them into the organization to discover, dissect and dissolve a problem on a project-by-project basis. That's the kind of approach and execution that everyone needs right now to emerge from these challenging times as better, stronger, leaner and more prosperous organizations."