Business Editors

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 2002

IFS has signed a three-year, $1.2 million contract with Southwall Technologies Inc. to provide the thin-film coatings manufacturer with hosting services.

Under the terms of this contract, IFS will provide Southwall with managed IT services and the hardware infrastructure to support the company's purchase of IFS Applications(TM) in July 2002.

Lois Cornell, Southwall's CIO, said, "To meet our growing customer demand, we need the ability to expand or move manufacturing processes throughout multiple locations. Having IFS host our IT solution gives us the flexibility to make the best decisions about where certain manufacturing processes will occur without having to change our IT infrastructure.

"Also, having a hosted solution means we will not have to increase our IT staff."

"IFS' vision is to have long-term relationships with customers. These relationships begin in R&D, where our goal is to create business applications based on future-proof technology that is easy to implement. Then we constantly monitor the needs of our customers so that we can provide the ideal solution to their particular business problems.

"For Southwall, it was clear that providing hosting services for their IFS business applications was the most flexible, cost-effective solution," commented Terje Vangbo, IFS North America president.

About Southwall

Southwall designs and produces technologically advanced thin-film coatings that selectively absorb, reflect, or transmit electromagnetic radiation. Southwall products are used in a number of architectural, automotive, and electronic products to enhance optical and thermal performance characteristics, improve user comfort, and reduce energy costs.

Southwall exports advanced thin-film coatings to more than 25 countries around the world for use in products manufactured by such companies as Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Renault, Peugeot-Citroen, Volvo, Saint-Gobain Sekurit, Pilkington, and Mitsubishi Electric.

About IFS

IFS develops and supplies component-based business applications for medium and large enterprises. IFS Applications, which is based on Web and portal technology, offers 60+ enterprise application components used in manufacturing, supply chain management, customer relationship management, financials, engineering, maintenance, and human resource administration.

IFS provides customers step-by-step evolution to the extended enterprise with e-business solutions that offer partner, customer, and supplier collaboration.

A leading global business applications supplier, IFS has more than 3,100 employees, with sales in 43 countries. The company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange (XSSE:IFS). More information is available at www.ifsna.com.

IFS Applications is a trademark of IFS Industrial and Financial Systems. All other referenced company or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.