RLE International and AutoWeb Form Global Alliance.

DETROIT -- AutoWeb Communications and RLE International have joined forces to expand design, engineering and data-transfer services to their customers on a global basis.

In a joint announcement, the two companies said they will combine efforts to offer customers a single source for engineering and secure data-transfer services. RLE is one of the world's leading automotive engineering companies, while AutoWeb is a global provider of secure data-exchange services.

Headquartered in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, AutoWeb serves more than 2,500 companies in 38 countries. RLE International's customers include leading automotive manufacturers and their suppliers throughout the world. The company maintains headquarters in Cologne, Germany, and the Detroit suburb of Hazel Park.

The strategic alliance calls for AutoWeb to deploy IT infrastructure at RLE facilities in both Europe and North America to enable the two companies to offer a full range of data-transfer services to RLE's customer base, first in Europe and then shortly thereafter in North America.

"RLE International has successfully utilized the services of AutoWeb in North America for some years," said Dr. Nigel Francis, president and COO for RLE's North American operations. "It is clear to us that AutoWeb is committed to providing the design and engineering data-exchange community with the most efficient, effective and secure solutions available today. Our agreement with AutoWeb also enables us to offer our entire design and engineering portfolio to AutoWeb's customers."

Nino DiCosmo, AutoWeb's chairman, president and CEO, noted that "RLE recognizes the critical nature of protecting the intellectual property of its clients, while at the same time making it possible for OEMs and suppliers to easily and efficiently share data.

"This alliance gives our customers access to a large spectrum of engineering and design services via a single computer interface. Customers of both companies will benefit from this 'one-stop shop' for all of their engineering service needs, whether it be simple data translations, program management activities or complex design-development efforts."

The two executives explained that "through this alliance our companies will be able to seamlessly and securely connect OEM's and their suppliers across the entire OEM extended enterprise, adding value through the application of concurrent and collaborative design and engineering. This extended level of service will be good for all of our customers, while generating growth for both AutoWeb and RLE International."

AutoWeb's product portfolio includes four major offerings to facilitate secure engineering data exchange throughout various supply chains and corporate engineering groups. AutoWeb products include:

--Intellectual Property Exchange - One of the company's core product offerings, Intellectual Property Exchange enables the secure exchange of product and design data among OEM's, partners and suppliers.

--Translations Exchange Utility - Working in tandem with AutoWeb's Intellectual Property Exchange service, this exchange utility seamlessly "translates" or converts computer-aided-design (CAD) data for use among companies using different CAD data-file formats.

--Standards Exchange Service - A data distribution service, it also notifies users by e-mail whenever a specification they are using has been updated or changed. The Standards Exchange Service provides users with instant access to supplier lists, engineering material specifications and a variety of CAD, drafting and other standards.

--Collaborative Exchange Utility - The collaborative exchange service provides subscribers with a secure Internet-based "project room" to facilitate real-time, collaborative communications on key engineering issues.

A wholly owned subsidiary of NTT Communications, AutoWeb works with some of the world's leading automotive manufacturers and their suppliers, including DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan, as well as Lear, Federal Mogul, Johnson Controls, Metaldyne and Visteon.

RLE International is one of the world's leading automotive engineering service providers, with group sales of more than $90 million. The company offers the following services in the product development lifecyle:

--Product design and development

--Body, interior and powertrain design and engineering

--Dimensional and assembly design and engineering

--Tool and die design

--Controls and automation design and engineering

--Advanced engineering and CAE 

--Program management and staffing services

--IT and PLM support services 

With a staff of more than 600 designers, engineers and technical specialists in North America, Europe, and Asia, RLE International is able to offer services to the world's key regions and strategic markets. The company currently brings globally integrated solutions to Ford, GM, DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen and Honda as well as the Tier Supplier community.

Further Information is available on the Internet for AutoWeb at www.autoweb.net and for RLE International in North America at www.rleint.com and in Europe at www.rle.de.