ASCO Power Technologies Goes Live With Digital Paper's docQuest

Business Wire, Oct 29, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2001

-- docQuest Provides Significant ROI By Accelerating Outsource

Manufacturing Processes --

Digital Paper Corporation(TM), an innovative provider of secure technical content exchange and collaboration software, today announced that ASCO Power Technologies, a worldwide leader in emergency and standby power transfer solutions, has gone live with Digital Paper's docQuest(TM) solution. ASCO is using docQuest to automate supplier collaboration and the distribution of engineering change notifications (ECNs) of post-design revisions to automatic power switch technologies. As a result, the manufacturer has streamlined its outsourcing process, cutting manufacturing lead times by two days. docQuest also increases the efficiency of ASCO's ECN distribution process.

By digitally storing engineering schematics and drawings, the solution eliminates all overhead associated with the microfilm system. Users are able to locate, retrieve and print documents more quickly, resulting in increased efficiency in work order creation. docQuest is also compatible with ASCO's existing JD Edwards ERP system, which maintains the bill of materials. By using docQuest, ASCO engineers streamline its collaboration process with suppliers, shaving up to 70 percent off time spent assembling and shipping specification packages to outsourcing partners. Potentially 80 percent of ASCO's organization (1200 employees) will be using the solution to ease daily outsourcing and collaboration operations.

In addition, ASCO relies on docQuest to accelerate and track the distribution of engineering change requests (ECRs) and ECNs. ECNs are critical to manufacturing, alerting appropriate individuals -- engineers, operations personnel and suppliers -- of revisions made to a particular design. A missed ECN can cost a manufacturer millions of dollars in raw materials waste, scrap/rework labor and delayed time to market. Previously, ECRs and ECNs were manually regulated, paper- and labor- intensive and unreliable. An ECR had to go through a number of reviews and approvals before incorporated into a design. Once a revision is made, an ECN is manually distributed to all individuals involved in the project.

With docQuest, an ECR is completed and viewed electronically with suggested revisions using docQuest's ViewMark(TM) technology. After changes are approved, an ECN is created and distributed via email. docQuest's Activity Reporting Module allows users the ability to check the status of an ECN and indicate which individuals have or have not viewed the revision. Those individuals can then be directly contacted for quicker response. With docQuest, individuals have instant knowledge of the status of ECNs. Since ASCO outsources a majority of its manufacturing, docQuest enables faster and more efficient collaboration with suppliers, preventing the miscommunication of ECNs.

"This successful deployment is indicative that even in a down market, companies, especially discrete manufacturers who rely on the efficiency of their supply chains, are still willing to invest in applications that add real value," said Christopher Fountain, president and CEO of Digital Paper. "We are pleased ASCO is realizing quantitative benefits from the use of docQuest."

Digital Paper's docQuest is a Web-based solution that collects, manages and delivers technical content without the need to re-engineer business processes or current systems, or retrain employees. The solution includes enhanced features for e-procurement, facilities management, production/operations and field services. These features are essential to many industries, particularly discrete manufacturing, including automotive, aerospace and industrial equipment, as well as utilities and government organizations. docQuest ensures that the entire enterprise has timely, secure access to the correct revision of technical information by providing revision control, content synchronization and automatic e-mail notifications.

About Digital Paper

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., Digital Paper is a privately held developer of software solutions that improve customers' business performance by enabling fast, secure collaboration and exchange of intellectual capital over the Internet. Named as one of Fortune magazine's Cool Companies-Hot Ideas 2000, Digital Paper works with more than 250 customers worldwide, including leading discrete manufacturing, utilities and government organizations. Digital Paper has implemented solutions at market leaders such as Lucent Technologies, Eastman Kodak Company, General Motors Corporation, Grove Worldwide, The Boeing Company and Delphi Automotive Systems. The Company's equity partners are Columbia Capital, Accenture Technology Ventures, Edison Venture Fund, Longworth Venture Partners and Aether Capital. For additional information about Digital Paper's products and services, please call (888) 215-6677 or visit www.digitalpaper.com.

DigitalPaper, docQuest, DirectSight, and ViewMark are trademarks of Digital Paper Corporation. All other products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.