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Arvin Utilizes Technology to Create Business Intelligence Database

18 May 2000

Arvin Utilizes Technology to Create Business Intelligence Database; Arvin's Sharetrak Provides Employees Easy Access to Updated Business Intelligence Information

    COLUMBUS, Ind.--May 18, 2000--Arvin Industries, Inc. , introduces Arvin Sharetrak(TM), a web-enabled business intelligence tool developed and maintained by Arvin Exhaust Marketing, which allows employees to access competitive sales and customer information affecting their OEM divisions.
    The application is graphics based and provides Arvin users with a flexible environment to view market information in a number of key dimensions. Users from any location can update OE exhaust market share information, giving Arvin the competitive advantage of having a complete map of the exhaust market to uncover opportunities for new business or track competitive inroads.
    "Arvin ShareTrak(TM) allows us to project five years into the future," said Wes Vance, president of Arvin Exhaust. "By looking at accurate, continually up-to-date information, we can see what opportunities are out there, and learn how to more accurately shape Arvin's path to achieve our strategic goals."
    Arvin ShareTrak(TM) enables employees to operate at e-speed by providing access to business intelligence information from anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, using a web browser. "With less than one hour of training, our executives can use ShareTrak(TM) to gain new insights about the competition and uncover opportunities in the arenas for which they are responsible. We are extending the technology to provide other segments of Arvin with an extra competitive edge," said Mr. Vance
    With the cooperation of C/Soft, Microsoft and Knosys, a business intelligence application was developed to allow data input directly into a "live" database. The information can then be consolidated automatically and summarized in a user friendly, graphical environment. The point and click environment enables end users to drill down into the database without requiring database querying skills.
    "The ShareTrak(TM) project began as a grassroots effort, but was mainstreamed and adapted for corporate-wide use," said Perry Lipe, Chief Information Officer. "This wasn't possible two years ago, but the latest web-enabled technology has made this a cost effective endeavor and we are deploying this technology in other e-business applications."