---

NCMS & Ford to Announce $22 Million Patent Donation

23 July 1999

NCMS & Ford to Announce $22 Million Patent Donation; Collaborative Research Efforts to Come from Ford Donation

    ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 22 -- The National Center for
Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) and Ford Motor Company , through its
subsidiary Ford Global Technologies, Inc. and its Visteon enterprise, will
announce the donation of nine manufacturing patents at a news conference on
Wednesday, July 28 at 3:00 p.m.  The news conference will be held at NCMS
headquarters (3025 Boardwalk, Ann Arbor, MI).  These patents have been valued
at $22 million.
    "Ford and its affiliated companies are committed to "giving back" to
communities throughout the world that have helped our company grow," said
Henry Fradkin, director of the Patent & Technology Licensing Office at Ford
Global Technologies.  "Researchers and engineers within Ford have worked hard
to develop these technologies.  We are confident that NCMS will be able to use
these patented technologies to help achieve their mission."
    "We are grateful to Ford for their donation and based on these valuable
patents, we look forward to developing new tools and technology to aid the
manufacturing industry," said NCMS President Dr. John A. Decaire.
    During the past 12 years, NCMS has built an impressive track record in
managing complex, multi-partner, advanced manufacturing programs.  This
experience has given NCMS a national reputation as the premier model for the
performance of pre-competitive collaborative manufacturing research and
development.
    "Competition has forced industry to seek new technologies that will reduce
operating expenditures in manufacturing technology and productivity.
Improving and developing new technologies is a critical step in reaching
industry goals," continued Decaire.  "The new technologies we develop with the
help of Ford and our other partners are likely to save U.S. industry billions
of dollars in wasted hours, manpower and materials."
    With over 200 member companies representing a variety of industries, NCMS
is the largest cross-industry consortium in the United States.  With a long
track record of vital research, NCMS has promulgated cost savings for
industry.  In fact, the total dollar value returned to industry in NCMS' first
10 years is approximately $2 billion.
    Ford Motor Company was a founding member of NCMS and has been active in
NCMS programs for more than 12 years.