Production Modeling Corporation and Optiant Team to Deliver Strategic Inventory Management

Partnership Extends Manufacturers' Ability to Manage Supply Chain Uncertainty with Best-of-Breed Inventory Optimization Software

BOSTON and DEARBORN, Mich., March 25, 2003 -- Optiant, Inc. and Production Modeling Corporation (PMC) today announced a new partnership that will help F1000 manufacturers leverage the supply chain to mitigate the risks of global uncertainty and consumer fickleness. The agreement combines award- winning optimization technology with industry-specific supply chain expertise, delivering strategic inventory solutions to markets that can be hit hard by sudden and extensive disruptions in the flow of materials.

Strategic inventory management is among the highest priorities for PMC's customers, which include some of the world's premier automotive and heavy equipment manufacturers. These industry heavyweights, including the Big Three automakers, leverage PMC's solutions and consulting expertise to help them optimize extremely complex global supply chains.

Under the agreement, PMC's consultants will use Optiant's PowerChain(TM) software to evaluate customers' current supplier relationships, inventory levels and service agreements and identify ways to reduce inventory-related costs. In addition, PMC will resell PowerChain to its customers, enhancing and rounding out its comprehensive offering of supply chain management technology.

"Today's market instability is causing major disruptions in supply and demand that can no longer be solved with yesterday's just-in-time inventory strategies," said Onur Ulgen, President of Production Modeling Corporation, based in Detroit. "Optiant's solution raises the bar on strategic inventory management and lets us help our customers create flexible strategies that turn fluctuations into opportunities."

PMC helps leading F1000 manufacturers improve productivity with consulting services, technology solutions that address simulation, scheduling, supply chain optimization, software development and lean manufacturing techniques. Beyond the company's extensive automotive expertise, PMC also provides services and technology solutions for leading aerospace, appliances, consumer products, food and healthcare companies.

"For the world's largest manufacturers, inventory represents hundreds of millions of dollars in tied-up capital," said Mike Braatz, vice president of business development for Boston-based Optiant. "We're excited by the opportunity to expand PMC's outstanding reputation for delivering solutions that help these companies unlock that capital and succeed with superior supply chain performance."

Optiant's innovative software gives manufacturers a tool to evaluate the impact of decisions made at all stages of the product delivery process and make the right choices about how much inventory to hold and where to hold it. By tying these decisions to broader business issues such as cost, time-to- market and customer satisfaction, Optiant's PowerChain helps manufacturers to build world-class supply chains that drive competitive advantage and improve financial performance.

About the companies

Production Modeling Corporation provides leading-edge productivity solutions to assist customers to become the best in their class. Based in Dearborn, Michigan and in Austin, Texas, PMC is a solution provider for simulation, finite capacity planning and scheduling, and supply chain software applications.

With a simulation staff of 35 specialists and more than 3,000 simulation projects executed since 1985, PMC is a leading simulation company in the U.S.A.

For additional information, contact: Claudia Gdowski, cgdowski@pmcorp.com, Tel (313) 441-4460, Ext. 1131.v Optiant is a pioneer in the emerging market of supply chain design and optimization. Optiant's flagship software solution, the PowerChain(TM) suite, enables global organizations to design and configure optimal supply chains, solving real-world problems today. PowerChain determines cost-effective inventory placements and integrates supply chain strategy into sourcing and distribution processes for quantifiable results in less than ninety days. Optiant has proven that intelligent inventory policies improve customer service levels and provide rapid ROI by driving out millions of dollars of associated costs from complex supply chains. Our roster of blue-chip clients, including Global 1000 discrete manufacturers, utilizes Optiant's expertise to design competitive supply chains and innovative inventory policies. PowerChain solutions are built on patent-pending optimization technology based on more than ten years of leading-edge research and industry partnerships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Optiant is a privately held company headquartered in Boston, Mass., and can be reached at http://www.optiant.com or (781) 238-8855.

Optiant and PowerChain Suite are trademarks of Optiant, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

    Company Contacts:
     Holly Allison
     (781) 238-8855
     holly.allison@optiant.com

     Claudia Gdowski
     313.441.4460 Ext 1131
     claudia@pmcorp.com