Cutting-Edge Paper Producer Chooses Plaut to Lead "ASAP" R/3 Implementation

Business Wire, Feb 17, 1998

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 17, 1998--

Goal of six-month R/3 implementation on AS/400 is to

provide Madison Paper with a Y2K-compliant ERP system

and expanded business functionality.

Plaut Consulting Inc. announced today that Madison Paper Industries has chosen Plaut to lead a six-month AcceleratedSAP(tm) implementation of the SAP(tm) R/3(tm) integrated business application solution. The pulp and paper producer is undertaking the enterprisewide software deployment to replace outdated financial systems with Year 2000-compliant systems providing increased business functionality. Madison expects that its SAP R/3 system will give it a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

According to Klaus Schottenhamel, president of Plaut Consulting, "Plaut's in-depth knowledge of and experience with the AcceleratedSAP approach, combined with our past successes implementing R/3 on the AS/400, gave us an edge in the competition for Madison Paper's business."

"We were impressed by Plaut Consulting's philosophy of transferring knowledge to the customer, as our goal is to quickly achieve self-sufficiency in running our business software," said Roy Barry, president and CEO of Madison Paper. "Equally important was Plaut's commitment to customizing the software to meet our unique business process requirements, despite our ambitious implementation timeframe."

Plaut will lead Madison Paper Industries in the implementation of the following R/3 modules: Financial Accounting; Controlling; Materials Management; Plant Maintenance; and Sales and Distribution (including variant-configurator functionality). Plaut will use standard tools and methodologies to facilitate the implementation, including AcceleratedSAP, the SAP road map for rapid implementations.

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Madison Paper Industries is a partnership of Myllykoski Oy of Finland and The New York Times Company. Opened in 1980 on the Kennebec River in Madison, Maine, Madison Paper Industries was the first United States mill dedicated totally to the manufacture of supercalendered paper. Throughout its history, Madison Paper Industries has led the way with its vision and concern for the future of the environment. As the company nears a new landmark with the production of its three millionth ton of Symmetry(R) paper, it remains committed to the quality of its environment.

Plaut Consulting Inc. is the U.S. branch of the 50-year-old Plaut Group, an international management and technology consulting firm based in Germany that helps companies combine intelligent business management with information technology. Plaut delivers business solutions using SAP R/3 application software to a wide range of industries and offers R/3 outsourcing services. Plaut enjoys strong working ties with SAP based on a 16-year relationship. Headquartered just outside Boston in Waltham, Massachusetts, Plaut Consulting also maintains offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. More information about Plaut Consulting is available at http://www.plaut.com.

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Symmetry is a registered trademark of Madison Paper Industries. SAP, R/3, and AcceleratedSAP are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG.

CONTACT: Editorial:

Frances Y. J. Wheeler, WTM Communications, Inc.

(978) 475-7970; FyjW@AOL.com

OR

Company:

Amy Kelleher, Plaut Consulting Inc.

(781) 768-0500; Kelleher@Plaut.com