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Aspect to Provide CSM Solution for Ford's Worldwide Operations

8 September 1999

Aspect to Provide CSM Solution for Ford's Worldwide Operations

             Aspect's Component & Supplier Management Technology
              To Be Used With Metaphase Product Data Management

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 8 -- Aspect Development, Inc.
today announced that its Component and Supplier Management
(CSM) technology and content will be used with SDRC(R) Metaphase(R)
Enterprise(TM) Software throughout Ford Motor Company's worldwide product
design operations.  Aspect's embedded CSM technology, to be called
MetaCatalog(TM) when sold in conjunction with the Metaphase product line, will
give Ford Motor Company engineers easy access to catalogs of design data
within the Metaphase product data management (PDM) environment, to optimize
the reuse of designs and components across Ford's entire product line.
    Ford is using Aspect's technology to manage the parts and sub-assembly
designs used in Ford's diverse product line of passenger cars, and trucks.  By
providing rapid, intuitive access to a centralized repository of preferred
Ford parts and designs, Aspect's CSM solution can help Ford streamline its
inbound supply, reducing unnecessary variety in component parts, and
increasing its strategic leverage and design efficiency.
    The enterprise catalog will be implemented in two phases.  The first
delivery will utilize existing eXplore 2000 technology from Aspect
Development, packaged for its OEM customers.  This technology will then be
enhanced in a joint development program with Metaphase to fully integrate it
into the SDRC Product Data Management suite over the coming months in a Phase
Two program.
    "Ford is one of the world's premiere automotive companies and best
practice manufacturers," said Romesh Wadhwani, Aspect Chairman and CEO.
"Their use of Aspect's CSM solution will extend their ability to effectively
manage parts and designs on a truly global basis."

    About Aspect Development, Inc.
Aspect Development, Inc. is the global leader in e-Business solutions for
Inbound Supply Chain Management.  Aspect's solutions reduce product cost and
operations expense and speed new product introduction by providing strategic
decision support for product development, procurement, and operations to
companies in all industries.  Aspect's solutions combine its enterprise
software, content products and rapid deployment services, to deliver a large
value proposition quickly, at low risk.  Aspect's eDesign, eSource and
eOperate solutions are being used by many of the largest companies worldwide
to optimize their inbound supply chains; to provide the information bridge
between product development, procurement and operations; to collaborate
closely with the supplier base; and to technology-enable and automate best
practices such as strategic sourcing, e-procurement, design for supply chain,
design reuse, and lifecycle management.  AspectWeb is the leading B2B
knowledge portal through which Aspect delivers the world's most complete and
current content on production components and MRO materials and supplies to
customers and partners.

    eXplore, eXplore2000, eDesign, eSource, eOperate, Aspect eContent, Aspect
eSupply, AspectWeb are trademarks of Aspect Development.  All other trademarks
or registered trademarks belong to their respective holders.