ALKAR RAPID–PAK SELECTS CYCO AUTOMANAGER® MERIDIAN

ATLANTA, GA—AUGUST 16, 2004—Cyco Software, a leading global software company offering Engineering Data Management (EDM) solutions, announced today that Alkar Rapid-Pak Inc, a leading provider of food processing equipment, has selected Cyco AutoManager Meridian to manage its engineering documentation and related data throughout the entire product development process. The solution will be implemented by Hagerman & Company.

Based in Lodi, Wisconsin, Alkar Rapid-Pak is known for its expertise in a broad number of areas to ensure its customers receive the total support needed for their cooking and chilling operations. From meat science advice and process development, to plant layout and custom equipment design, Alkar provides state-of-the-art solutions to improve automation, product consistency and lower operating costs. Its core products include batch and continuous cooking and chilling systems such as post-packaging pasteurization equipment and belt ovens for roasting.

“We selected Cyco AutoManager Meridian for a number of reasons, one of which was the ability to support our movement to 3D with Solidworks. We feel that Cyco AutoManager Meridian will accomplish the requirements of managing the relationships between drawings, parts, and assemblies as we design in both Solidworks and AutoCAD. Alkar-Rapidpak found the interface to be user friendly and very adaptable to our needs and requirements. I am confident that this implementation will help support our overall goal of modernizing our approach to managing documents and processes within our organization,” says Ken Spuda, Drafting Manager with Alkar-RapidPak.

“After conducting a thorough evaluation versus other products, we found Cyco AutoManager Meridian to be the best fit for our company. This decision was based on ease-of-use, ease of implementation, and overall cost of ownership, both in the short and long run.”

Cyco AutoManager Meridian is Cyco Software’s flagship data management solution that enables manufacturing companies to manage, share and archive engineering information at any phase of the product lifecycle throughout the enterprise. The solution provides revision management, customizable workflow, web access, document viewing, comprehensive search capabilities, integration with all popular CAD packages and more.

The solution will be implemented by Hagerman & Company, a Value Added Reseller/System Integrator (VAR/SI) and Consultant specializing in improving organizational productivity through the implementation of technology. Hagerman & Company is long-standing Cyco Software partner with comprehensive experience implementing data management solutions in the Midwest.

About Alkar Rapid-Pak Inc.
Alkar Rapid-Pak is a leading provider of food process equipment The company is known for its expertise in a broad number of areas to ensure its customers receive the total support needed for their cooking and chilling operations. From meat science advice and process development, to plant layout and custom equipment design, Alkar provides state-of-the-art solutions to improve automation, product consistency, and lower operating costs. For more information, please visit www.alkar.com.