Nuremburg, Germany, November 15, 2000 - Savings were the main topic on the agenda at PRODAC systems seminar at the Brau 2000 exhibition. The seminar, entitled "Success at Stag Brewery with DrinkSoft Beverage Production Management Software", featured presentations by Mr. Pat Hastings, Packaging Engineering Manager at Budweiser Stag Brewery, London UK, and Mr. Muni Tilleman, European Sales Manager at PRODAC Systems, developers of DrinkSoft beverage production management software. The presentations highlighted how leading beer bottlers take advantage of DrinkSoft software to operate their packaging lines more easily and efficiently.

"Due to the rapid growth in demand for its products in the UK and on the European continent, Stag Brewery faced the fortunate challenge of urgently needing to maximize its production capacity," indicated Mr. Hastings. "After surveying the solutions available on the market, Stag chose DrinkSoft for its proven ability to minimise machine downtime, losses and rejects while maximising throughput and beer yields. Moreover, PRODAC and its UK system integrator Canongate Technology were able to install DrinkSoft on the already operating Line 1 with minimal interference to production and minimal investment in equipment and engineering work."

Mr. Hastings described how Stag included DrinkSoft from the outset in their specification for the addition of a second line in 1999 in order to rapidly achieve line balancing, already during commissioning. He stated that DrinkSoft played a critical role in commissioning Line 2, with plant performance of 92% and machine efficiency of 97%. Mr. Hastings related how DrinkSoft's machine pareto graphs enabled problematic areas to be highlighted and so directed plant personnel to focus on such areas. He cited several examples in which DrinkSoft analysis tools revealed cases of short yet frequent occurrences of downtime whose cumulative effect caused significant non-production. DrinkSoft's integration between QC and Downtime data gives Stag added insight, both to improve its processes as well as to better delimit QC rejects and enhance plant Overall Equipment Effectiveness. Summing up the impact of DrinkSoft at Stag, Mr. Hastings comcluded by stating, "DrinkSoft is a comprehensive tool for discovering the critical bottlenecks and trends in order to make good business decisions, manage capital plant investments and optimise asset utilisation."

European Sales Manager for PRODAC Systems Muni Tilleman preceded Mr. Hasting's presentation with an overview of DrinkSoft's comprehensive functionality as a total solution for managing beverage manufacturing operations. "In today's difficult market, where competition forces manufacturers to slash prices but at the same time to produce a greater variety of flavours and packages at lower costs, manufacturers need the right tools to meet the challenge and maintain their advantage. DrinkSoft's specialized analysis tools, tailored fit for beverage plants and years of experience at leading brand breweries and soft drink plants worldwide make it the best tool for this tough job." In conclusion, remarked Mr. Tilleman, "More and more forward-looking manufacturers like Budweiser Stag Brewery are choosing DrinkSoft to optimise their operations and keep an edge over their competition."