The world’s leading Cost & Resource Modeling (CRM) software increases functionality and ease of use

October 13, 2005 (Pleasanton, CA) – Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. (WWK), a cost & productivity management software and consulting services company, announced today the release of a new version of its Cost and Resource Modeling (CRM) software, Factory Commander® v3.1. The latest additions to this powerful financial and capacity planning package further distances itself from passé approaches such as internally developed complex spreadsheets.

A sampling of the many new features added to Factory Commander® v3.1 includes:

• Multi-variable sensitivity analysis
• Improved legacy/spreadsheet data import/export
• Lifetime average costs in addition to specific time periods
• Expanded tool group upgrade capital inputs for periods before t=zero
• Support-tool assignment at process steps
• Shift teams added for labor groups

The decision making process surrounding new facilities or product lines requires the operation's cost structure and cash requirements to be accurately evaluated. Product pricing, product mix, and production ramp rates are just a few of the many considerations facing strategic planners. Factory Commander® is a cost and resource modeling software platform that provides a fast and efficient method to reduce decision risk and uncertainty. Because Factory Commander® relies on Activity Based Cost Management (ABCM) principles, it effectively identifies the major activities that drive product costs. By providing high-level economic projections such as income and cash flow statements, senior management is able to anticipate market and cost drivers and make accurate strategic decisions based on a strong analytic foundation.

“This latest release of Factory Commander® further demonstrates WWK’s long standing commitment to deliver premier products based on client direction,” stated David W. Jimenez, WWK co-founder and President. “For more than a decade, our relationship with Sandia National Labs, the original IP holder for the basis of Factory Commander® and the transition of their chief software architect to WWK has led to our ability to rapidly address market requirements. We look forward to continuing our leadership position in this unique software arena.”

With more than 3,000 users worldwide, Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. is the largest privately held operational cost management company serving technology-dependent and technology-driven companies. WWK maintains long-term relationships with prominent industry resources including International SEMATECH, SELETE, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), and national labs and universities. Its client base includes most of the top 10 semiconductor manufacturers and equipment and materials suppliers as well as leaders in nano-technology, MEMS, thin film record heads, magnetic media, flat panel displays, and solar panels.

WWK’s product line includes TWO COOL® for detailed process step level cost of ownership (COO) and overall equipment efficiency (OEE), PRO COOL® for process flow and test cell costing, Factory Commander® for full factory capacity analysis and activity based costing, and Factory Explorer® for cycle time reduction and WIP planning. Additionally, WWK offers a highly flexible product management software package that helps sales forces eliminate errors in product configuration and quotation processes.

Call today for more information from Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. Providing software solutions for productivity measurement and enhancement since 1991.