As examples of the high level of activity currently going on in the TDCI MAC-PAC XET and BuyDesignT customer base, executives from three TDCI customers - and three leaders in their respective markets - shared their company's successes and future plans at this year's TDCI Customer Forum.

Irwin Seating Company

Irwin Seating Company is the world-wide leader in the manufacture of public seating for auditoriums, theaters, stadiums, and churches. Irwin Seating Director of IT, Bernie Stephen outlined his company's 12 year history with MAC-PAC and why they decided to re-commit to MAC-PAC XE in 2003 after a disappointing 2-year experience with another ERP vendor.

In addition, he described the benefits Irwin Seating Company is already realizing from the company's newest initiative - to streamline the auditorium seating quotation process as well as the 'progressive ordering' process using BuyDesign. The benefits outlined included: reduced 'cost of quality' from fewer errors and improved customer communication, improved visibility of demand, and reduced administrative effort.

He finished his presentation with a clear statement of appreciation for TDCI as a strategic partner over the past 2 years, and what that has meant to Irwin Seating Company.

The Ruskin Company

The Ruskin Company is the l eading manufacturer of dampers, louvers and air movement components in the United States . Ruskin Chief Info rmation Officer (CIO), Joe Lewis, described his company's initial MAC-PAC implementation in 1993; the growth to their current environment with over 500 users at 12 sites, including sister companies Lau and Reliable; and their new 'Project One' initiative to standardize and upgrade MAC-PAC XE usage across all sites.

Mr. Lewis outlined why Ruskin considers MAC-PAC XE extended applications as keys to many important company programs such as improved B2B communications, support for ISO and SOX, and more. He talked about the value of TDCI Integration Server provides to IT projects, and the improved manufacturing efficiency Ruskin is seeing from MAC-PAC XE Priority Manager. He also described the potential Ruskin sees in BuyDesign for the near future, and the importance the company puts on its partner relationship with TDCI.

Atrium Companies, Inc.

Atrium Companies, Inc. is the largest manufacturer of vinyl and aluminum windows and patio doors in North America . The focus of Roger Santone, Atrium VP of Info rmation Technology's presentation was on their current project with BuyDesign, and he described Atrium's continued reliance on MAC-PAC XE as the business system for a number of the company's manufacturing sites.

Mr. Santone described the benefits Atrium is seeing from their initial implementation of BuyDesign in the company's Yakima , Washington division and the company's plan to roll out the same solution at four more divisions, with an option for two more over the coming year and a half.

As part of the presentation, he described the critical importance Atrium places on making themselves 'easy to do business with' for their customer base of leading builders, retailers, homecenters, lumberyards, contractors, designers, and architects; and how BuyDesign is helping them do that with 24x7 web-based access to up-to-date product information as well as quoting, ordering, and order status capabilities.

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