PEABODY, Mass., and HAVERHILL, Mass., - March 23, 2001 - ScanSoft®, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSFT), a leader in paper-to-digital solutions, and GlobalWare
Solutions, a supplier of advanced software manufacturing and fulfillment
services with key sites in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Redwood City, California,
Guadalajara, Mexico, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, today announced a
worldwide partnership to manufacture and provide fulfillment services for
ScanSoft’s award-winning portfolio of products, including: OmniPage®,
PaperPort®, OmniForm®, TextBridge® and Pagis®. The agreement is effective immediately.
This partnership enables ScanSoft to realize significant productivity gains by efficiently consolidating the supply chains of its domestic and international product lines. GlobalWare is committed to the delivery of Internet-based solutions, which will allow ScanSoft to achieve benchmark quality, cost, and delivery levels. With ScanSoft products being sold and marketed in the Americas, Europe and Asia, GlobalWare will provide ScanSoft with timely and cost-effective product throughout the world.
“Working with GlobalWare makes ScanSoft’s supply chain more efficient,” Mike Tivnan, President of ScanSoft, stated. “Since they are familiar with our markets and have facilities located near our worldwide and European headquarters, we have been able to capture the synergies between our organizations while shortening international product launch cycles. GlobalWare’s turnkey solution allows ScanSoft significant productivity gains.”
A key enabler is ScanSoft’s access to real-time inventory information, order status, and shipping information through GlobalWare’s online tools. These automated systems will improve ScanSoft’s management of customer orders and inventory. GlobalWare’s integration of ScanSoft’s customer P.O. numbers facilitates instantaneous order tracking and the ability to pre-notify customers of shipments.
“Our business model relative to content management and delivery to the marketplace is compelling to companies like ScanSoft,” James R. Bartlett, CEO of GlobalWare Solutions, said. “ScanSoft could have chosen other manufacturers, but our experience, integrated solution, international reach, and commitment to benchmark performance was exactly what they were seeking.”
About ScanSoft, Inc.
Headquartered in Peabody, Mass., with European headquarters in the Netherlands, ScanSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSFT) is the leading developer of paper-to-digital solutions that enable users to leverage the power of their scanners, digital cameras and other electronic devices. ScanSoft’s award-winning product line - PaperPort Deluxe, Pagis Pro, TextBridge Pro, OmniPage Pro, OmniPage Pro Scan Suite Plus, OmniForm, eOmniForm, Paper Converter, Kai’s PhotoSoap2, Kai’s SuperGoo, Kai’s PowerShow, PhotoFactory, and numerous software developer’s kits - enables users to capture, recognize, edit, manage and share documents and photos electronically by taking advantage of ScanSoft’s cutting-edge technology.
ScanSoft has established numerous strategic partnerships with the industry’s leading scanner and multifunction vendors to deliver the most comprehensive and cost-effective solutions for its customers. Vendors who have chosen ScanSoft’s cutting-edge technologies include Brother, Canon, Epson, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, IBM/Lotus, Mustek, Primax, Sharp, Symantec Corporation, Visioneer, Xerox and others. ScanSoft’s leading technologies have been licensed by Microsoft for use in Office 10 and other future products. ScanSoft continues to cultivate and develop strategic partnerships to deliver the most comprehensive and cost-effective solutions for its customers.
ScanSoft software is sold, marketed and supported worldwide through retail, dealer and OEM channels and the Internet, capturing the small to medium size business and corporate markets. There are more than 8 million registered users of ScanSoft products. ScanSoft can be found on the Web at www.scansoft.com.
About GlobalWare Solutions
Headquartered in Haverhill, Massachusetts, with production facilities in California, Ireland, Mexico, England, Scotland, and the Netherlands, GlobalWare Solutions is one of the largest independently held global software manufacturers in the world. A recognized leader in its industry, GlobalWare adds value through the TotalWare™ Solution which provides a virtual manufacturing operation that allows its computer/software and hardware contract manufacturer customers to focus their resources on developing their intellectual property. Combining great customers, suppliers and employees and utilizing the most up to date web-based customer collaboration technology, GlobalWare Solutions is currently the only global Build to Demand supplier providing complete business-process-outsourcing solutions, which includes full software manufacturing capabilities (including printing, CD-ROM and media replication, product assembly, inventory management, distribution, and fulfillment), content management, and e-commerce/e-business services all within one company and on a worldwide basis. The
company’s Web address is www.globalwaresolutions.com.
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Trademark reference: ScanSoft, PaperPort, PaperPort Deluxe, Pagis, TextBridge, OmniPage, OmniPage Pro Scan Suite Plus, OmniForm, eOmniForm, Paper Converter, Scanner Suite, PageKeeper, Developer’s Kit 2000, PhotoFactory, Kai’s PhotoSoap2, Kai’s SuperGoo, and Kai’s PowerShow are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are hereby recognized and may be registered to their respective holders.
The Company notes that the statements in this release that relate to future plans, events, performance, including without limitation the perceived benefits of the agreement, are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market acceptance, the impact of competitive products and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC reports. Readers are cautioned not to place undo reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.