USDATA Launches Global Xfactory Seminar Series; Joint Seminars with Compaq Discuss Impact of E-Business on Manufacturing.

Business/Technology Editors

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2000

USDATA Corporation (Nasdaq:USDC), a leading supplier of integrated manufacturing software solutions, announced a worldwide seminar series on the impact of e-business on manufacturing with Compaq Computer Corporation.

The U.S. portion of the series will feature a keynote address by Julie Fraser from Industry Directions, a recognized professional in manufacturing operations, e-business issues and applications. The seminars will focus on best-in-class manufacturers, their efforts towards creating more demand-driven businesses, and the visibility tools they use to meet these business demands.

According to John O'Keefe, Compaq Vice President, Business Critical Server Group Solutions, "This joint seminar series expands upon the Compaq and USDATA relationship announced last year. USDATA is Compaq's primary partner for discrete manufacturing production systems and a member of the Compaq Solutions Alliance. The combination of USDATA and Compaq provides a depth of manufacturing and application integration experience that helps our mutual customers with an e-business supply chain solution for a real-time collaborative manufacturing environment."

Andrew Kerr, USDATA Vice President of Marketing, who will also be speaking at the seminar, will focus on USDATA's vision for collaborative e-manufacturing. Kerr will build on Fraser's discussion by addressing the rapid changes manufacturing customers face and showcasing customers' successes in the collaborative e-manufacturing arena.

The seminar series -- designed for Chief Information Officers, Chief Operating Officers, IT Managers, Production Managers, and other key decision makers in manufacturing organizations -- will discuss how best-in-class manufacturers are striving to be more demand driven in the Internet age. The U.S. seminars are scheduled in Atlanta (November 7), Detroit (November 9), Los Angeles (November 14) and Chicago (November 16). Seminars have already been held in France (October 24 and 26) and will be held in the United Kingdom (November 21) and Germany (November 23). Additional information on the Seminar Series can be found at http://www.usdata.com/xfactory/registration.html.

USDATA Corporation (Nasdaq:USDC) is a global supplier of component-based production software that is designed to help customers reduce operating costs, shorten cycle times and improve product quality in their manufacturing operations. The company's software enables manufacturers to access accurate and timely information -- whether they are on the plant floor, in the office, or around the globe. USDATA's solutions span the full range of manufacturing, from monitoring equipment to tracking product flow, and are designed to integrate seamlessly with customers' existing manufacturing and business software. This combination of product breadth and ease of integration provides a total plant solution that defines new levels of manufacturing performance and gives customers a distinct competitive advantage.

USDATA has a strong global presence with more than 45,000 installs, in more than 60 countries throughout the world, 19 offices worldwide and a global network of distribution and support partners. USDATA, headquartered near Dallas, Texas, is a Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE:SFE) partner company.