New JT Open Board Sets Goals and Policies, Long-term Direction for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Data Sharing Initiative

FOR RELEASE Wednesday, June 8, 2004

PLANO, Texas– UGS, a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced the new JT Open Management Review Board (MRB) has finalized the initial set of goals and policies and long-term direction for the JT Open initiative.

Consisting of PLM industry leaders and global manufacturers, the MRB is the governance board charged with representing the business and management views of the members of JT Open, an innovative global initiative launched in November 2003 to support the “JT” format – the world’s most widely-used data format for product visualization and collaboration. Through its support of the JT format, the JT Open initiative focuses on promoting open data sharing, enhancing collaboration and expanding visualization across the extended enterprise and throughout the PLM industry.

The MRB’s initial action was to ratify the JT Open Governance Document. This document defines a process through which representative groups of customers and suppliers come together to discuss the future direction of JT, thus creating a new paradigm for how industry standards are established. In addition, the MRB also formed a JT Open Technical Review Board (TRB); elected an MRB representative from a new JT Open member company; and prioritized various JT Open initiatives.

“The initial actions by the MRB set the stage for the JT Open initiative to fulfill its mission of promoting a more open and collaborative PLM computing environment through the proliferation of the JT format,” said Mark Matousek, JT Open program manager for UGS and chairman of the JT Open MRB. “The commitment and participation by board members, representing influential leaders from several Fortune 50 companies, is a clear testament to the strength and importance of the JT Open initiative.”

About JT and JT Open

JT is a common data format for enabling product visualization and information distribution and enhancing data sharing between PLM software applications.  The robust functionality and lightweight nature of JT technology make it possible to view and share product data and dynamic images worldwide, in real-time and throughout all phases of the product lifecycle.

Membership in JT Open is available to any and all end user corporations, independent software vendors (ISVs) and non-profit organizations.  In addition, any organization that can derive indirect value from the initiative can participate as JT Open advocates.

More information about JT Open can be found at www.jtopen.com.

AboutUGS
UGSis a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with more than 3 million licensed seats and 42,000 clients worldwide.  The company promotes openness and standardization and works collaboratively with its clients in creating enterprise solutions enabling them to transform their process of innovation and thus begin to capture the value of PLM.