HP Solution Helps Andersen Windows Improve Time to Market; Migrating Andersen's Design System from a DEC VAX to an HP 9000/Computervision Solution Reduces Costs by Streamlining Product Design.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 1995-- Hewlett-Packard Company today announced that Andersen Corporation, a leading manufacturer of wood windows and patio doors, is using HP's mainframe-alternative solution and Computervision Inc.'s engineering software to get new products to market faster and to reduce design and manufacturing costs.

The mission-critical solution is based on an HP 9000 business server and 65 of HP's industry-leading HP 9000 UNIXr system-based workstations. The solution replaces a proprietary VAX 6310 system from Digital Equipment Corp.

Additionally, HP's Professional Services Organization will provide consulting expertise to ensure a smooth migration from the proprietary DEC environment to HP's open, flexible UNIX system-based environment.

"The support we've received from HP in moving away from our DEC system has been great: no problems, no questions, no concerns," said Merlyn Leslie, a research and development manager for Andersen. "The combination of HP hardware and support, as well as the new Computervision software, enables us to share information among our design team more effectively, which has been key in improving our time to market."

"We're delighted to be a part of Andersen's success," said Carol G. Mills, general manager of HP's General Systems Division. "Our ability to understand and meet Andersen's business needs and to help build a new, more flexible information-technology infrastructure demonstrates HP's commitment to the manufacturing industry."

MIGRATING FROM DEC TO HP

Andersen made the decision to update its computer-aided-design capabilities after discovering that its Calma system, which ran on a proprietary DEC VAX and terminals, lacked some advanced functionality and was being phased out by Computervision. An independent consulting group recommended a move to Computervision's CADDS 5 parametric solids modeling, CAMU current assembly mock-up and EDM electronic data-management applications.

After reviewing the price/performance results of a 1993 software benchmark test, Andersen selected an HP 9000 Series 800 Model H server and 65 HP 9000 Series 700 workstations over the alternate solution of a Sun server and workstations.

The new HP system features redundant networking and a sophisticated network-management system to ensure high availability. "The HP solution is getting information to the people who need it, when they need it," said Leslie. "Product designers and machine designers now share current models electronically, instead of on paper, and our external suppliers get 'pure geometry.' True concurrent engineering is on the horizon."

Additionally, the company estimates that it is saving $3 million per year by eliminating paper drawings and product specifications. Finally, the move to electronic documents has been a boon to the company's ISO 9000 certification efforts.

"The move to HP was like going from a standard compact car to a luxury car, and yet it's saving us money," said Leslie.

Andersen Corporation., a privately held company based in Bayport, Minn., is the nation's leading manufacturer of wood windows and patio doors. Founded in 1903, the company today employs more than 3,700 people.

HP has completed thousands of successful migrations to open, client/server computing as part of its HP Open Midrange Alternative program, particularly HP's DEC Alternative Program. HP believes its success is based on the company's ability to deliver mainframe performance with high-quality applications from proven software companies; its strong relationships with key partners; and its worldwide support, consulting and customer education organization.

HP 9000 business servers, based on HP's industry leading HP-UX(1) operating system and PA-RISC(2) technology, provide the high performance and systems-management capabilities required by data-center environments as well as the flexibility and performance necessary for client/server implementations.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 98,600 employees and had revenue of $25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS:

(1) HP-UX 9.X and 10.0 for HP 9000 Series 700 and 800 computers are X/Open(tm) Company UNIX 93 branded products. X/Open is a trademark of X/Open Company Limited in the UK and other countries.

UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited.

(2) PA-RISC stands for Precision Architecture, HP's name for its reduced-instruction-set-computing (RISC) technology. RISC is a microprocessor architecture that uses simpler instructions and that, therefore, can perform computations faster than traditional complex-instruction-set-computing (CISC) architectures.

CONTACT: Hewlett-Packard

Kim Daniel, 408/447-4587