Wonderware Signs Reseller Agreement With ACP For Distributor Sales of ACP Thin Client Tools.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2001

Wonderware Corp., a unit of the Invensys Software Systems (ISS) group of British-based Invensys plc., today announced it has signed a reseller agreement with Automation Control Products (ACP) of Alpharetta, Ga., under which Wonderware and its distributor channel are authorized to sell ACP Thin Client Manager software and hardware tools.

"Wonderware was the first major human-machine interface (HMI) supplier to support thin client applications when the company introduced Terminal Services for InTouch last August, and Wonderware software has been running on the ACP Thin Client platform in actual production operations since 1999," explained Janie West, Wonderware product manager for visualization products.

"By using the thin client version of our InTouch HMI software, industrial automation users can realize tremendous savings in initial system costs as well as in long-term maintenance and administration for their discrete manufacturing and process automation applications.

"In order to fully support and extend this developing market, we sought to resell robust products at cost-effective pricing from a supplier whose platform would integrate seamlessly with Wonderware's FactorySuite family of automation software," West added. "The ACP Thin Client products meet those goals and will be the only such platform that we and our distributors will sell to support our Advanced Client Technology (ACT) strategy."

"Wonderware has the finest distribution channel in the industry; the company had already signed agreements with a number of its distributors to carry Wonderware's Thin Client Manager products, but this agreement catapults the company ahead of the industry because the entire distribution channel can now resell ACP products," said Matt Crandell, ACP president.

"With about 160 distributor offices worldwide, plus Wonderware's own regional sales offices, ACP feels this agreement will enable the two companies to jointly lead the industry to realizing the full benefit of thin client technology on a global basis."

Although the introduction of thin client computing to the plant floor is relatively new, recent indications are that initial implementations can save as much as 40 percent on deployment costs over client/server systems. This provides many benefits for use in industrial applications:

-- Thin client services are easy to implement and don't obsolete older PC
workstations, which can always be used as "dumb" terminals.

-- It's easy to expand the user base throughout the typical production plant.

-- Terminals are location-independent and can even be remote wireless devices.

-- Thin client applications are hardware independent and can use existing PCs,
from 386 devices up to the latest Pentium 4-class machines, wireless phones,
PDAs, etc.

-- Application deployment and management costs are greatly reduced because
everything resides on servers.

-- No new HMI screens need to be created.

-- There are few new technologies to learn, since thin client applications are
simply a new deployment of existing software.

Wonderware has already begun shipments of ACP ThinManager software on a worldwide basis.

About ACP

Automation Control Products, based in Alpharetta, has more experience than any other company in the field of industrial thin client computing. ACP offers its Thin Client technology in industrial computing products from multiple manufacturers, allowing them to bring to market superior thin client devices.

When combined with ACP's ThinManager Thin Client management tool, each client provides performance and features unmatched by products from any other company. For more information about ACP and its products, visit the company's Web site at www.acpthinclient.com.

About Wonderware

Wonderware, an independent operating unit of the Invensys Software Systems (ISS) Division of Invensys plc., is the world's leading supplier of industrial automation software. Founded in 1987, the company pioneered the use of Microsoft Windows-based, human-machine-interface (HMI) automation software for manufacturing operation systems.

Today, Wonderware's mission is to provide integrated software suites that drive the customer's strategic, planning and operational decision-making based on real-time plant floor information.

Recent corporate and product acquisitions have broadened Wonderware's market coverage to range from "sensor to supply chain." In addition to its HMI and manufacturing execution systems (MES) products, Wonderware offers leading enterprise asset management (EAM) solutions as well as strategic consulting services.

Wonderware is based in Irvine, and has regional sales and development offices throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia to provide support to its network of more than 160 independent distributor offices. Wonderware has more than 180,000 successful software installations in more than 30,000 plants worldwide.

For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.wonderware.com.

About Invensys

Invensys plc. is a global leader in the automation and controls industry. With its head office in London, it operates in all regions of the world through four focused divisions -- software systems, automation systems, power systems and control systems.

With more than 90,000 employees, the company's products and services range from advanced control systems and networks for automating industrial plants and controlling the environments of buildings, to electronic devices and controls found in residential buildings and light commercial applications, plus complete power systems for the telecommunications and information technology industries.

For more information, visit the Invensys home page at www.invensys.com.