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New Future Three-Backed Venture Optimizes Information Flow Through Web

17 April 2000

New Future Three-Backed Venture Optimizes Information Flow Through Web

     Synapz Closes Gap Among Automotive Suppliers in Digital Marketplace

    NORTHVILLE, Mich., April 17 The launch of a new Internet
technology-based company, Synapz, will revolutionize and standardize the
entire demand management and delivery process for more than 30,000 automotive
suppliers.
    "As a key infrastructure player in the digital marketplace, Synapz is the
only company that enables automotive suppliers to manage easily and risk-free
the extremely complex process of data exchange and order fulfillment," said
Bob Paul, president of Synapz.  "We will enable the entire supply chain to
take advantage of technology that has previously been cost prohibitive."
    Synapz is a venture of Future Three, a leading demand-management software
firm founded more than 17 years ago with deep roots in the automotive original
equipment industry.
    "Synapz brings automotive experience gained through its current business
with 240 different trading partners.  We are uniquely positioned to transform
the delivery process among automotive suppliers and implement the standard
data-exchange structure within the supplier industry," added Paul.  "Due to
the possibilities our technology presents, we were able to very quickly secure
the bandwidth, partners and agreements needed to transform the delivery
process.  Synapz empowers customers to handle all trading-partner exchanges,
their complex business rules, as well as their suppliers, through a single
solution."
    According to Paul, Synapz's goal is to save the automotive industry $750
million through the use of its Web-based technology.  The company predicts a
21 percent increase in inventory turnover among suppliers, a 32 percent
reduction in supply chain lead-time and an 85 percent improvement in demand
accuracy.
    "Our goal is to improve customer value by consolidating all demand-
management activities through the digital marketplace," Paul said.  "In an
environment of decreasing margins and market share, we help our supplier
partners dramatically improve delivery performances."
    "Synapz is leading the trend towards Web optimization in the automotive
industry, which is demonstrated by the recent cooperative exchange agreement
among Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler, as well as the recent joint
study of business-to-business Internet-enabled technology commissioned by six
major supplier companies.  Synapz is working within the industry -- both with
suppliers and OEMs -- to transition the entire supply chain," he added.

    Filling the Gap - The Role of Synapz
    Synapz is focused on closing the complex information gap between the
supplier tiers within the automotive original equipment industry.  Among
suppliers, tens of thousands of transactions occur daily that need immediate
attention.  More than 22 electronic transaction sets -- such as pricing,
delivery, shipping, validation, logistics, material needs and quantity
information -- are used in the automotive industry.
    Synapz technology recognizes and deciphers this information and
communicates it automatically.  The Web-based technology is exceedingly
accurate, fast and cost-effective compared with existing modem/dial-up
configurations.
    In addition, its open architecture and utilization of the Internet as its
portal enables collaboration with other service providers to solve more
problems in the delivery cycle, such as freight optimization.  The Synapz
technology is also compatible with Future Three software and OEM e-commerce
technologies currently in place.
    By providing this new technology on the Internet, Synapz assumes the
entire risk of product data transfer between suppliers through its secure,
safe and reliable Web-based systems.  The company has eliminated the risk and
confusion in dealing with multiple trading partners and value-added networks
(VAN).
    Synapz plans to make significant product, partner and staff announcements
over the next several weeks.  Since 1983, Future Three has emerged as a
leading organization in the integration of data throughout the manufacturing
systems of North America.  Today, Future Three's AutoRelease, VendorRelease,
AutoScan and related consulting services are an integral part of a fully
integrated supply chain.  The dynamic release accounting solution is designed
for high-volume automotive suppliers.  Privately held, the majority of the
company is owned by Summit Partners, L.P. of Boston, MA