Alenia Aerospazio/Finmeccanica Announces Agreement With MSC to Provide Strategic MCAE Solutions.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 15, 1997--The MacNeal- Schwendler Corp. (MSC) (NYSE:MNS) Wednesday announced the completion of a new national corporate agreement with Alenia Aerospazio/ Finmeccanica.

The agreement calls for MSC to provide its strategic mechanical computer-aided engineering (MCAE) environment and processes to many divisions of Alenia Aerospazio in Italy, operating in aerospace and aeronautical design activities for civil and military applications.

The new corporate agreement with Alenia Aerospazio was reached after a number of meetings of a committee of senior managers and engineers from all the company's most advanced CAE sites, to review the best technical solutions available.

A major factor in reaching the unanimous selection of MSC was the successful and productive relationship Alenia Aerospazio has had from its current agreement with all MSC offices in Italy.

The agreement broadens the long and successful relationship between MSC and Alenia Aerospazio. The agreement will result in Alenia Aerospazio manufacturing sites in Italy being able to implement and enhance their local design capabilities.

MSC products, primarily MSC/NASTRAN and MSC/PATRAN, are currently being used by a number of divisions of Alenia Aerospazio, including the Aeronautica Division in Pomigliano and Turin, and the Spazio Division in Rome and Turin.

Alberto Zerenghi, MSC's country manager responsible for all operations in Italy, commented: ``MSC regards Alenia Aerospazio as an important technical partner, and this agreement is a landmark in our relationship. MSC's strategy is to provide services, in the frame of the agreement, to integrate our software with consulting activities, customization and integration services, dedicated on-site support.''

Tom Curry, president and chief executive officer of MSC, said: ``I am excited by the joint benefits that will result from this expanded relationship with Alenia Aerospazio. Today's business environment requires many companies to spread their operations, seeking the most cost-effective and productive environments to facilitate the development of their business.

``MSC is the only MCAE vendor that is able to support fully this requirement at both a global and local level for a modern company like Alenia Aerospazio. We are working to make this a preliminary step in supporting their future development work.''

MacNeal-Schwendler is the world's leading supplier of mechanical computer-aided engineering (MCAE) solutions. MSC provides software, services and strategies by partnering with customers to increase the performance of their structural designs.

MSC's solutions have played a key role in the design of virtually every major automobile, aircraft and space vehicle developed in the past decade. MSC solutions are provided by offices throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information, visit the MSC Web site at www.macsch.com . -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: NASTRAN is a registered trademark of NASA. MSC, MSC/, MSC/DYTRAN, PATRAN, MSC/PATRAN, MSC/MVISION and ARIES are registered trademarks of The MacNeal-Schwendler Corp. MSC/NASTRAN, MSC/FATIGUE, MSC/FEA, MSC/MVISION Builder, MSC/MVISION Evaluator and MSC/MVISION for Pro are trademarks of The MacNeal-Schwendler Corp.

CONTACT: The MacNeal-Schwendler Corp., Los Angeles

Kenn Morris, 213/259-3830

[e-mail]

or

MacNeal-Schwendler Co. (Italia)

Alberto Zerenghi, [phone]

[phone] (fax)

[e-mail]