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| QAD
Celebrates 25 Years of Innovations in Manufacturing
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QAD
Marks Anniversary with Continued Commitment To Help Resolve
Global Manufacturers'
Real-World
Challenges
Carpinteria,
CA—October 12, 2004—QAD Inc. (NASDAQ: QADI) today celebrates 25 years
of success and innovation in the manufacturing industry. Founded
in Southern California in 1979, QAD is recognized as a leading
provider of enterprise applications for global manufacturers.
The company has been called an "ERP Value Leader"
and "A Friend to Manufacturers" by industry analysts,
and is recognized as a thought leader in the six vertical industries
it serves including automotive, consumer products, electronics,
food and beverage, industrial and medical manufacturing.
QAD was established when Pamela Lopker, QAD president
and founder, sought superior software for her friend's manufacturing
business. With nothing available to meet the specific requirements
of manufacturing, she was inspired to develop her own solution.
The company has since then expanded from a local to a global
focus in the past 25 years, and has grown to become a $231 million
dollar company with Fortune 500 and multinational customers.
QAD's 1989 foray into the global marketplace with an office
in Amsterdam has grown to include multiple offices in the Americas;
Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific regions. Today,
QAD's global organization serves thousands of manufacturing
sites in more than 80 countries and 26 languages. More than
300 software developers in locations around the world contribute
to QAD's world-class, standards-based software that began with
the work of just three software engineers in Southern California.
"Manufacturing has evolved
significantly over the last 25 years, from local companies serving
local customers, to multinationals driving the global economy,"
said Pam Lopker, QAD president and founder. "QAD has been
right beside our customers throughout this transformation. We
work closely and continuously with our customers to understand,
anticipate and help resolve their real-world manufacturing challenges
with software applications that reflect the best thinking in
manufacturing theory and the latest technology."
wenty-Five
Years of Contribution, Accomplishment
QAD's growth has been marked by an effort to deepen
insight into customers' needs and develop software applications
that establish a platform for advanced manufacturing concepts
such as lean, just-in-time (JIT) and vendor-managed inventory
(VMI). The company was pronounced the largest provider of enterprise
applications for automotive manufacturers in China by the Economist
Network in its "China Auto Industry Suppliers Survey"
(May 2004). The company's path is marked by many milestones
toward its commitment to manufacturers. These include:
Extensive involvement in the industries QAD
serves. QAD works to address regulatory compliance issues facing
manufacturers in the vertical industries it serves, and participates
in the establishment of technology standards that contribute
to supply chain effectiveness. Most recently, the company demonstrated
a proof of concept with the Automotive Industry Action Group
(AIAG) to establish inventory visibility and interoperability
standards to benefit the entire automotive industry. QAD has
already delivered functionality for UCCnet for the consumer
products and food and beverage industries.
Evolution of customer-led product development
groups. Beginning in 1997, QAD established development groups
that work together with customers in the creation of highly-focused,
industry-specific software functionality. By partnering with
customers and involving them in the software development process,
QAD can ensure that its software addresses an industry's most
current challenges, and includes the functionality manufacturers
most require to be successful.
Recognition for contributions to its customers'
success and to the industry. QAD Chief Technology Officer Jim
Kirkley has been recognized by InfoWorld as one of the "Top
25 Most Influential CTOs" for 2004. Supply Chain Systems
Magazine editors and AMR Research analysts selected Webasto
for the publication's Supply Chain Innovator 2004 showcase,
for using QAD software to enable vendor-managed inventory. Finally,
QAD has been named to Start Magazine's Hottest Companies list
for two consecutive years.
A Vision for the Next 25 Years
QAD's vision for the manufacturing
industry has also continued to evolve and expand. Building on
its flagship MFG/PRO software to manage manufacturing operations,
QAD has introduced solutions to streamline activity and communication
throughout the extended enterprise, from the shop floor to the
supply chain. Applications such as QAD Lean Manufacturing are
helping customers adopt advanced manufacturing standards: since
2003, more than 80 customer sites have added QAD Lean Manufacturing
functions to their deployment of QAD MFG/PRO eB2 software, helping
them use kanban systems to align inventory with demand for pull-based
replenishment.
"Our goal is to equip manufacturers
with lean supply chain performance - and speed communication
along the supply chain from today's standard of about six weeks,
to just six hours," said QAD's Lopker. "I won't feel satisfied
that QAD has met the needs of global manufacturers and made
an impact on their business until we achieve that vision - and
until at least 70-percent of those companies depend on our solutions."
About
QAD
QAD
enterprise applications leverage advances in Internet and enabling
technologies to provide critical functionality for managing
manufacturing resources and operations within and beyond the
enterprise, enabling global manufacturers to collaborate with
their customers, suppliers and partners to make and deliver
the right product, at the right cost and at the right time.
Manufacturers of automotive, consumer products, electronics,
food and beverage, industrial and medical products use QAD applications
at approximately 5,200 licensed sites in more than 80 countries
and in as many as 26 languages. For more information about QAD,
telephone +1 805 684 6614, or visit the QAD Web site at: www.qad.com.
To receive any of QAD's press releases via facsimile, contact
+1 800 356 0747, or outside the U.S. contact +1 213 253 5647.
"QAD"
and "MFG/PRO" are registered trademarks of QAD Inc.
All other products or company names herein may be trademarks
of their respective owners.
Note
to Investors: This press release contains certain forward-looking
statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. A number
of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These
risks include, but are not limited to, QAD's ("the company")
ability to integrate the EDI assets into its business; the ability
of the company's consultants to deliver successful operating
models and plans to their customers; the ability of the company's
customers to benefit from the company's application-enabled
approach; evolving demand for the company's software products
and products that operate with the company's products; the company's
ability to sustain strong licensing demand; the ability to sustain
customer renewal rates at current levels; the publication of
opinions by industry analysts about the company, its products
and technology; the reliability of estimates of transaction
and integration costs and benefits; difficulties relating to
integration of a new business; the entry of new competitors
and their technological advances; delays in localizing the company's
products for new markets; delays in sales as a result of lengthy
sales cycles; changes in operating expenses, pricing, timing
of new product releases, the method of product distribution
or product mix; general economic conditions, exchange rate fluctuations
and the global political environment. In addition, revenue and
earnings in the enterprise resource planning (ERP), e-business
and distributed order management software industries are subject
to fluctuations. Software license revenue, in particular, is
subject to variability with a significant proportion of revenue
earned in the last month of each quarter. Given the high margins
associated with license revenue, modest fluctuations can have
a substantial impact on net income. Investors should not use
any one quarter's results as a benchmark for future growth.
For a more detailed description of the risk factors associated
with the company and the industries in which it operates, please
refer to the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended January 31, 2004. |
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