Usinor Selects webMethods to Provide Integration Platform for Thalis Business Reconfiguration Program.

Business/Technology Editors

PARIS & FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 2001

Leading Global Steel Producer to Automate Business Processes

Throughout the Extended Supply Chain

webMethods, Inc (Nasdaq:WEBM), the leading provider of integration software solutions, today announced that the Usinor Group, one of the world's leading steel producers, has selected webMethods solutions to provide the company's integration platform. Usinor will use the webMethods platform as the integration foundation for Thalis, the company's business reconfiguration program.

"To address the significant changes in business process operating modes and with the changes still to come from all corners of the company, Usinor has established a loosely coupled information systems strategy," said Jean-Pierre Delvaux, IT manager for Usinor.

"The webMethods partnerships with SAP, i2 and Siebel enable us to fully leverage the contributions of the various players in our 'Thalis' program to automate the back office, e-procurement, the supply chain and TRM systems. webMethods also has shown great flexibility in terms of assuming responsibility for our existing applications. webMethods is at the heart not only of our policy of internal EAI integration but also of our external B2Bi program, which represents a major security commitment to the evolution of our strategy. The webMethods platform is the backbone of our e-business strategy."

webMethods is responsible for the technical component of the Usinor integration program. The two other components include the organization and definition of the terms of reference associated with the company's business processes.

"webMethods is pleased to provide the integration backbone of the Thalis initiative," said Remy Dubois, sales manager of webMethods, France. "Our solution will provide Usinor with a solid foundation for building out its e-commerce strategy."

About Usinor

With a turnover of E13.6 billion euros, 64,000 employees worldwide and raw steel production of 22.15 million tons in 1999, Usinor is one of the world's leading steel producers. Its ambition is to become the world's leader in the production, transformation, and marketing of flat carbon steels. Currently, Usinor provides the steel for more than one-third of cars, more than one-third of domestic appliances, and close to one-third of packaging. The group supports its customers' development everywhere in the world by developing "steel solutions" together with them that are adapted to their requirements.

While relying on its firmly established positions in Europe and North America, the group developed gradually by reinforcing its downstream and its distribution systems in Europe. Over the past 10 years, the group has either acquired companies or developed, owing to partnerships, new production sites. In Europe, the acquisitions of Arvedi and Magona in Italy and the Sagonte iron and steel works in Spain consolidated the Mediterranean site at Fos-sur-Mer while its positions in the north and the east were consolidated with the acquisitions of Cockerill Sambre in Belgium and Eko Stahl in Germany.

Outside of Europe, the group also completed its globalization by gaining control of J&L (USA) and Thainox (Thailand), by taking participations in Acesita and CST in Brazil, and by creating a joint venture in Canada for the galvanized sheet steel for automobiles. The group recently signed a memorandum of intent with Arbed and Aceralia establishing the project to merge together to form a new company.

About webMethods

webMethods, Inc. (Nasdaq:WEBM) is the leading provider of integration software solutions for Global 2000 corporations, major B2B exchanges and leading software application vendors. The webMethods integration platform allows customers to achieve quantifiable R.O.I. by linking business processes, enterprise and legacy applications, databases and workflows both within and across enterprises. By deploying the webMethods integration platform, customers reduce costs, create new revenue opportunities, strengthen relationships with customers, substantially increase supply chain efficiencies and streamline internal business processes.

Founded in 1996, webMethods is headquartered in Fairfax, Va., with offices throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific. webMethods has more than 625 customers worldwide--from Global 2000 leaders such as Citibank, Dell, Eastman Chemical, The Ford Motor Company, Grainger, Motorola and Starbucks to major industry-backed exchanges like ForestExpress, eHITEX/Converge and PetroCosm. webMethods' strategic partners include Ariba, BroadVision, Commerce One, Deloitte Consulting, EDS, i2 Technologies, J.D. Edwards, KPMG Consulting, Microsoft, Oracle Corp., SAP AG and Siebel Systems. More information about the company can be found at www.webMethods.com.

webMethods is a registered trademark of webMethods, Inc. All other company and product names are property of their respective owners.

This press release contains various remarks about the future expectations, plans and prospects of webMethods that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The actual results of webMethods may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including those discussed in the Risk Factors section of webMethods' recent Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000, as amended, and Form S-3, both of which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.