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Technology Stocks : SAP A.G. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tom ablett who wrote (222)	11/16/1997 4:00:00 PM
From: Ibexx	Respond to of 3424

tom, Thanks for a very interesting article. My understanding is that no other software package is sophisticated enough to handle the new paradigm shift in very large corporations. SAP will also be in e-commerce very big time. Regards, Ibexx PS: this is one of the few stocks in portfolio that has risen 25% since the market highs of August.

To: tom ablett who wrote (222)	11/20/1997 10:38:00 AM
From: Ibexx	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3424

tom and thread, _____ Wednesday November 19, 9:03 am Eastern Time Company Press Release Newport News Shipbuilding Selects SAP R/3 and Aspect CSM Solution To Innovate and Manage Its Supply-Chain and Manufacturing Operations --America's Largest Ship Design and Construction Company Is Speeding Operations Through Technology Partnership-- PHILADELPHIA --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 1997-- Aspect Development Inc. and SAP America today announced that Newport News Shipbuilding (NYSE:NNS - news; NNS), America's largest ship design and construction company, will implement the R/3(TM) System with the SAP-Aspect Component and Supplier Management (CSM) solution to create and carry out a shared data environment (SDE) project. The implementation of the SDE project is one result of a process innovation program kicked off by NNS in early 1996. Dubbed ''Full Speed Ahead=2X,'' this program will reduce cycle times, provide much-needed functionality and improve processes throughout the company. NNS bought the full suite of R/3 software including the integrated SAP R/3-Aspect Explore(TM) CSM software for the SDE project to allow employees to access production specifications, schedules and design data. The company anticipates the return from the SDE project to be substantial, with specific benefits including improved material control, enhanced sequencing of work, streamlined information research and creation of a centralized IT system for storing all information. This project provides a total solution for NNS, in that SAP and Aspect are business partners delivering an integrated R/3-Explore solution. Under the direction of TeamSAP(TM), NNS can use the openness of the SAP Business Framework(TM) to ensure complete interoperability and support. Leveraging both R/3 and the integrated SAP R/3-Aspect Explore CSM will put critical information at the fingertips of employees who need it most for transaction management and decision support. The partnership reinforces NNS's leadership in the U.S. shipbuilding market and ensures its position as the most technologically advanced shipbuilder in the world. SAP and Aspect Working Together to Provide Seamless Integration Shrinking defense budgets are driving Newport News to speed up operations to compete effectively in the commercial arena. The previous part-sourcing methodology -- a set of materials catalogs residing on mainframe-based systems focused primarily on mil-spec components -- led to proliferation of overlapping parts and numbering schemes. By consolidating suppliers, integrating design and procurement, housing the item master, and integrating with the R/3 enterprise resource planning(ERP) system, Aspect's Explore CSM system will accelerate operations and improve systems communications. NNS plans to replace its legacy systems with the R/3 system. With R/3, NNS expects to make major advances in the areas of manufacturing, supply-chain management and the total integration of information. The company will also benefit from the SAP Aerospace and Defense=Industry Center of Expertise as it works to meet the company's demanding functional software requirements. Newport News Shipbuilding, employing a work force of almost 18,000, purchased the integrated SAP R/3-Aspect Explore CSM solution for use throughout the company. The sale marks one of Aspect's biggest CSM sales to date, according to the agreement. In addition to R/3, the software includes Aspect Explore-Enterprise(TM) decision support system and Explore.net, Aspect's Java-based search engine for use on NNS's intranet, as well as Aspect's Dashboard(TM) task automation interface for some 2,500 seats. Services to be provided by the integrated SAP-Aspect solution include migrating and standardizing more than 4 million mostly mechanical legacy parts; systems installation; user view creation; preferred parts and preferred suppliers programs; design reuse training; and integration with Newport News' R/3 ERP system. The integrated SAP R/3-Aspect Explore CSM solution is to be rolled out to Newport News engineers, procurement specialists and material planners in stages over a 15-month period. Savings will come from consolidating parts and suppliers, reducing new part introductions, decreasing part-searching time, increasing use of preferred suppliers, and improving reuse of existing designs. The integrated SAP R/3-Aspect Explore CSM system is part of a companywide manufacturing systems overhaul that will prepare the venerable 111-year-old shipbuilder for smooth sailing into the future. About Newport News Shipbuilding Newport News Shipbuilding is America's largest ship design and construction company. It has produced approximately 800 ships during its 111 years of operations, including Navy aircraft carriers, submarines and cruisers. The company is currently building the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and has begun work in preparation for construction of the Navy's new attack submarine. NNS is also performing some preliminary design andconceptual work on the next Nimitz-class carrier (CVN 77) aimed at significantly reducing the total life cycle costs of this ship and for carriers in the existing fleet. It is also building eight Double Eagle product tankers. Its 1996 revenues totaled $1.87 billion, with earnings before interest and taxes of $140 million. The current backlog is approximately $3.1 billion. The work force numbers nearly 18,000, making it Virginia's largest private employer. NNS's World Wide Web site can be found at nns.com . Ibexx