Air Products Selects Integrated Software Suite From SAP For Enterprisewide Standardization.

Business Editors

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 2002

Leading Gases and Chemical Company Adopts Global Solutions Platform;

Employees, Customers and Vendors Will Have Access to SAP System

SAP America, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of SAP AG (NYSE:SAP) today announced that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., (NYSE:APD) has selected the mySAP.com(R)platform as its computing backbone to integrate its global business practices.

As the leading provider of business solutions to the top 20 chemical companies worldwide, SAP will provide Air Products with core ERP functionality to help increase efficiencies with its human resources and financials as well as facilitate its leading e-business activities. In addition, Air Products will utilize SAP's supply chain solution (mySAP(TM) SCM) and enterprise portals from SAP Portals, Inc., (SAP Portals(TM) Enterprise Portal(TM)) to simplify its vendor and manufacturing processes and streamline its employee- and customer-facing activities.

"Air Products needed highly integrated software to support its global business needs and further enable its e-business activities," said David Sheffield, IT director for Enterprise Enabling Services at Air Products. "We selected the SAP system for its rich functionality and integration capabilities. In addition, we have been pleased with SAP's HR solution, which has already been implemented at Air Products."

As part of the project, Air Products purchased SAP(R) Enterprise Unification Portal and mySAP(TM) Business Intelligence solutions to provide company employees with a single access point to the SAP system from their desktops. These solutions will support a true collaborative environment in which Air Products' customers can place orders electronically and vendors can access purchase order and material forecast information on the SAP system through the portal.

mySAP SCM functionality will be used to plan, track and schedule distribution of the company's products and increase their speed to market. The Advanced Planning and Optimization component of the mySAP SCM solution will handle Air Products' multiplant, multicountry supply chain and streamline its supply chain processes throughout the world.

Implementation of the solutions will be phased in throughout Air Products' global organization. To assist with the implementation process, Air Products enlisted SAP's Accelerated SAP (ASAP) rapid implementation methodology. SAP also will provide end-user training tools powered by RWD Technologies Inc. to allow Air Products to distribute scalable Web-based solutions throughout the world.

"We are pleased to partner with SAP on this business-critical systems integration project," said Joe McMakin, vice president of Global Information Technology at Air Products. "SAP offers the experience, knowledge and capabilities that our company needs to manage and implement this enterprisewide standardization project."

"SAP is excited to help build Air Product's ERP backbone and to provide it with enhancements to its existing business practices," said Wolfgang Kemna, member of the extended management board of SAP AG, as well as president and chief executive officer of SAP America, Inc. "Air Product's desire to offer superior customer service and operate at maximum efficiency will help position it for sustainable growth."

About Air Products

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., (http://www.airproducts.com) is the world's only combined gases and chemicals company. Founded more than 60 years ago, the business has annual revenues of $5.7 billion and operations in 30 countries. Air Products is a market leader in the global electronics and chemical processing industries, and a long-standing innovator in many industrial markets, including coatings, adhesives and polyurethanes. The company distinguishes itself through its 18,000 employees around the world, who build lasting relationships with their customers and communities based on understanding, integrity and passion.

About SAP

SAP is the world's leading provider of e-business software solutions. Through the mySAP.com(R) e-business platform, people in businesses around the globe are improving relationships with customers and partners, streamlining operations, and achieving significant efficiencies throughout their supply chains. Today, more than 17,000 companies in over 120 countries run more than 44,500 installations of SAP(R) software. With subsidiaries in over 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol "SAP." (Additional information at http://www.sap.com)

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believe," "estimate," "intend," "may," "will," "expect," and "project" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including the SAP Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2000 filed with the SEC on March 28, 2001. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

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