Atos Origin Partners With IFS: Partnership Expands Atos Origin's ERP And e-Business Capability And Extends IFS Geographical Reach

Business Wire, Feb 5, 2001

Business Editors

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY & TUCSON, ARIZONA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2001--Atos Origin, a leading e-Business and IT services provider, today signed a partnership agreement with Industrial & Financial Systems (IFS), the fastest-growing global vendor of business applications.

The agreement will enhance Atos Origin's capability in the integration of legacy systems with e-Business solutions and extend its enterprise resource planning (ERP) portfolio. Using IFS' simplified component approach will enable customers to evolve into e-business step-by-step, quickly and efficiently.

With over ten years experience in ERP, Atos Origin's strength in this field is reinforced by its partnership with IFS. The companies are already working together successfully in Germany and the US.

"We are very pleased to be partnering with IFS and value the clear competitive edge offered by their building blocks approach. They will enable us to deliver cost effective applications that let companies move quickly to take advantage of the new economy," said Rob Mol, executive vice president of Atos Origin. "We have already worked closely with IFS in Europe on a number of projects and our extended resources and joint dedication to quality implementation services will help to further expand our share in the ERP business, especially here in North America."

Aimed at extending IFS' service delivery, particularly in the high-growth North American and European market, this agreement will take advantage of Atos Origin's global reach and experience in ERP. IFS' component-based system of applications spans the entire demand and supply chain, including web and portal-based solutions for a variety of business functions such as financial management, sales, marketing and procurement.

Initially focusing on the implementation and customization of IFS' enterprise, manufacturing, distribution and financial applications, Atos Origin has already dedicated 40 consultants to its IFS practice and expects that number to grow to as many as 300 globally in two years time.

Bengt Nilsson, president of IFS added, "Atos Origin fits well with our partner strategy, providing improved geographic coverage in Western Europe and the US. By teaming up with Atos Origin, we can take advantage of their strengths in enterprise and e-Business implementation to grow our applications revenues and market share. Atos Origin has a proven track record and large installed base which need to upgrade their applications for e-Business."

Across Europe, Atos Origin and IFS are implementing several projects in Germany, while joint activities in the Netherlands and the UK are expected to deliver the first results soon. In North America, IFS and Atos Origin are already working together on a multi-national and multi-site implementation project.

About IFS and IFS Applications

IFS develops and supplies business applications that offer step-by-step evolution to the extended enterprise. Based on proven component technology, IFS Applications includes web-based enterprise applications, CRM and supply chain management components, Internet storefronts, e-markets and e-procurement solutions. The company's over 60 functional business components, which span the entire demand and supply chain, improve business processes in medium to large companies. IFS eBusiness solutions provide seamless integration of all data sources from the fastest web sites and exchanges to legacy ERP.

IFS is the fastest-growing large global vendor in the business applications market. The company has 3,500 employees with products sold in 42 countries through 65 offices around the world. For more information, visit the company web site at: http://www.ifsworld.com

About Atos Origin

Atos Origin is a leading provider of end-to-end information technology and e-business solutions and services that enable clients to turn their business objectives into value-driven results. The company's 27,000 employees deliver innovative solutions and strong industry experience to better manage the entire value network for companies, extended enterprises and e-communities. Atos Origin currently operates in more than 30 countries worldwide, with sales of $2.4 billion ($US) in 1999.

In North America, Atos Origin, previously know as Origin Technology in Business, operates out of eight main locations, including South Plainfield (NJ), Irvine (CA), Dallas (TX), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Columbus (OH), Toronto and Mexico City. Customers include Lucent Technologies, NCR, Nortel, Philip Morris, Philips, Shell, Unilever and others primarily in the high-tech electronics, chemical/pharmaceutical, discrete manufacturing and consumer packaged goods industries.

The statements contained in this press release, particularly those regarding synergies, performance, costs, divestments, and growth are or may be forward looking statements and reflect each management's current analysis and expectations, based on reasonable assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from the statements made depending on a variety of factors, including business climate, economic and competitive uncertainties, higher manufacturing costs, reduced level of customer orders, risks in developing new products and technologies, environmental and safety regulations and clean-up costs, obtaining final regulatory approvals in a timely manner and in expected form, whether or not either or both of the two exchange offers are completed and the successful integration of the operations of each of the three companies. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements are contained in the relevant securities regulatory filings and financial statements of each of the respective companies. This press release does not constitute an offering of securities, which may be made by prospectus only.