FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., and SAN JOSE, Calif. - GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc., a division of GE Industrial Systems, and Datasweep, Inc., a provider of web-based manufacturing, repair and analysis solutions, today announced an agreement to deliver an integrated, world-class collaborative manufacturing solution globally. Under the agreement, GE Fanuc can deliver the integrated solution to other GE businesses, the automotive segment, and the process industry.

The agreement brings together the powerful software capabilities of Datasweep with the e-manufacturing systems, global business expertise and customer support of GE Fanuc. Prior to formalizing the agreement, GE Fanuc implemented the combined solution at a GE manufacturing facility to improve correlation between production yields and key process parameters.

"The global manufacturing community will be able to improve supply chain operations and realize substantial bottom line results from this alliance," said Kevin Roach, GE Fanuc’s vice president, CIMPLICITY^® business. "The combined manufacturing solution will allow our customers to bring products to their markets faster, raise quality, reduce work-in-process, decrease warranty expenses, and/or generate a higher return on net assets."

GE Fanuc offers a broad line of industrial hardware and software automation solutions coupled with implementation, field service and customer support on a global scale. Datasweep develops and markets Advantage, a proven suite of web-based manufacturing, repair and analysis solutions used today by global leaders in the technology, industrial and automotive market segments. GE Fanuc will be extending, integrating and supporting Datasweep Advantage under the new name CIMPLICITY Advantage. Coupled with the popular CIMPLICITY suite of products, the new package provides a complete e-manufacturing solution, bringing together the plant floor with an integrated supply chain.

Bruce Richardson, senior vice president of research strategy at AMR Research, said, "The market will applaud the alliance between GE Fanuc and Datasweep. We expect the two companies to drive much tighter links between the plant floor and the extended supply chain."

In addition to implementing CIMPLICITY Advantage at other GE businesses, GE Fanuc plans to incorporate the solution at its own manufacturing facilities to increase operational efficiencies through inventory management and reduction. GE Fanuc manufactures products including Series 90™ and VersaMax™ programmable logic controllers and I/O.

"GE is one of the most respected manufacturing companies in the world, and we are honored that Datasweep’s solution is helping them to build on their lead in global supply chain operations effectiveness," said Vladimir Preysman, Datasweep’s president and CEO. "We are very pleased that as a result of this alliance, GE Fanuc and Datasweep collectively can help automotive OEMs and other global manufacturers solve many of their strategic operations problems."

Datasweep develops and markets real-time collaborative manufacturing solutions for leading companies in the high technology and industrial markets. Datasweep solutions give original equipment manufacturers and their key manufacturing partners the ability to collect, control, share, and analyze real-time manufacturing and repair information, leveraged through an integrated data mart to drive improvements in planning, manufacturing and product lifecycle management. Customers include General Electric (GE), Honeywell (HON), ZF Meritor LLC, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Lucent (LU), KLA-Tencor Corporation (KLAC), and Flextronics International Ltd. (FLEX). Additional information can be found at www.datasweep.com.

GE Fanuc Automation is a leading global supplier of industrial control systems and is a joint venture between GE and FANUC, Ltd. of Japan. GE Fanuc products and services include CIMPLICITY® manufacturing enterprise-wide software, nano to high-end PLCs, a wide range of CNCs, motion control systems, operator interfaces, industrial computers, CO₂ and YAG lasers, and a wide range of integration and customer support services. Headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., GE Fanuc is part of GE Industrial Systems.

GE Industrial Systems is a $6 billion global leader in manufacturing products used to distribute, protect and control electrical power and equipment, and supplying product and service solutions for commercial, industrial, residential and utility applications. GE Industrial Systems is one of GE's major businesses.

For more information, visit www.gefanuc.com or contact: GE Fanuc Information Center, PO Box 229, Whitehall, PA 18052, 800-648-2001, fax 610-437-5212, e-mail: gefanuc@gefanuc.com.

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