IDS Scheer and Netfish to Offer B2B/E2E Solution

Netfish Technologies Inc, a B2B collaborative process leader, and IDS Scheer Inc, a leading provider of services, knowledge, and tools for e-business initiatives and business process performance management, have agreed to integrate their technologies to enable large companies and market exchanges to model, run and capture metrics for collaborative business-to-business (B2B) and exchange-to-exchange (E2E) processes.

The integrated solution of IDS Scheer's process design and modeling software with Netfish's B2B process integration, execution and measurement technology will be the first that allows businesses and exchanges to constantly improve B2B and E2E collaborative processes for greater efficiencies - resulting in improved ROI, reduced inventories, faster cycle times, lower product costs, quicker customer response times, increased data accuracy, and greater customer satisfaction.

"This partnership strengthens IDS Scheer's commitment to providing organizations with an integrated approach to fulfilling their e-business goals," said Kevin Swint, IDS Scheer's CEO. "IDS Scheer and Netfish Technologies can provide customers with a complete solution to migrate their existing business processes to the Internet, link those processes with their business partners, and deploy the necessary technology to successfully execute efficient, optimized e-business processes."

The ultimate goal of the partnership is to help businesses and exchanges run efficiently enough to keep pace with the fast, constantly changing needs of doing business globally.

"Building collaborative B2B or E2E processes is the first real step a company can must take to survive the switch to a global Internet economy," said Jim Dills, vice president of business development, Netfish. "The next step needs to be for companies to continually improve the efficiencies within those processes. The integration of IDS Scheer's and Netfish's technologies will create the first solution that enables companies and exchanges to complete that loop."

Under the terms of the partnership, the two companies will work to integrate IDS Scheer's industry leading ARIS Toolset, the premier business process tool, with the Netfish XDI System, which allows multiple businesses to integrate and run shared business processes in a collaborative, real-time fashion. The XDI System uses Java and eXtensible Markup Language (XML), industry standards designed for interoperability and platform independence. IDS Scheer's ARIS Toolset uses the ARIS Framework: a comprehensive architectural framework for business process design and management. Both IDS Scheer and Netfish will market and sell the integrated solution scheduled to be available in early 2001.

IDS Scheer, since its founding in 1985, has created a rich background and expertise in the area of business process engineering and consulting. In its global leadership position as The Business Process Performance Company, IDS Scheer has the most advanced knowledge, methods and tools for designing, implementing and continuously improving business processes.

Netfish Technologies gives connected businesses the fastest path to B2B integration, both inside and outside the enterprise. Based on key Internet technologies such as Java and eXtensible Markup Language (XML), Netfish products ensure interoperability and enable well-integrated business communities that operate with the speed and efficiency of a single highly-automated organization.

About Netfish Technologies

Netfish Technologies is the leading provider of highly-scalable, Java-based B2B collaborative solutions used by the world's top Internet-enabled companies, such as Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems. Netfish solutions enable B2B eCommerce with between customers, suppliers and partners. Supporting all major XML protocols and EDI messaging standards and providing complete backend integration into ERP and legacy systems, Netfish products provide a complete end-to-end B2B solution. Netfish award winning products realize tremendous savings in cost for all corporations, e-marketplaces and public or private trading exchanges. Founded in 1997, Netfish is based in Santa Clara, CA. Visit www.netfish.com for more information.

About IDS Scheer Inc

IDS Scheer Inc is a leading provider of services, knowledge, and tools for e-business initiatives and business process performance management. Through its North American headquarters in Berwyn, PA, IDS Scheer offers a broad range of solutions to help organizations improve their business processes, including the transformation of their existing business operations in the areas of enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, customer relationship management, and e-business.

Worldwide, the company employs more than 1,000 professionals and specialists, and has over 2,700 customers, including GTE, Lockheed Martin, Grace Davison, Verizon, Ford Credit, Level (3) Communications, Akzo Nobel, Phillips and DaimlerChrysler. IDS Scheer's flagship software product, the ARIS Toolset, is widely used, and is acknowledged by major technology analyst groups as the leading BPR tool in its class. For more information about IDS Scheer Inc, contact 610-854-6800, or access the World Wide Web at www.ids-scheer.com.

Contact Cunningham Communications Inc for Netfish Technologies, Julie Colwell, 650-858-3854, jcolwell@cunningham.com or Springboard Communications for IDS Scheer, Glenn Steinberg, 732-863-1900 x104, gsteinberg@s-board.com.