SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug 12, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Part of Broader Strategy for the Division to Focus Development Efforts and Meet Customer's Specialized Needs Through Vendors with Domain Expertise

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced that as part of its electric utility strategy, it has strengthened its alliance with Cook-Hurlbert to help deliver the next generation of electric utility applications. As part of this agreement, Cook-Hurlbert, an Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) partner, will add Autodesk Utility Design functionality into Expert Designer 3. In addition to this, Autodesk continues to build relationships with others in the electric utility market, such as Utility Sciences Corporation (USC), also an ADN partner.

These relationships complement the Autodesk GIS Solutions Division vision to focus on customers' specialized needs and the company's core competencies: building powerful GIS, mapping, civil engineering, and infrastructure management software and developing strategic partnerships to deliver additional targeted industry expertise and functionality to customers.

"As GIS technology has become more mainstream over the past few years, many new highly innovative and specialized uses have been discovered," said Vonnie Smith, president at Cook-Hurlbert. "This need for specialization has made it very apparent that no single vendor can be all things to all customers. Our alliance with Autodesk will help us to deliver a new breed of applications that gives customers the functionality they need to be more efficient, create new services, and ultimately, be more profitable."

"With the exciting improvements in GIS technology and an experienced industry, implementation costs are now meeting expectations, opening doors to utilities that otherwise wouldn't have considered GIS even as early as last year," said John Fisher, President of Utility Sciences Corporation. "In fact, of the over 22,000 water, sanitary, gas and electric utilities, the vast majority are just now evaluating their options."

"For over twenty years Autodesk has been focusing on the development of premier products and solutions for data creation, data maintenance, data management and data distribution. Autodesk will maintain our position of leadership, sharpening our focus on those core products and further strengthening them as we move forward," said Ernesto Diaz, senior director of marketing for Autodesk's GIS Solutions Division at Autodesk. "To better serve the evolving needs of customers, we are focusing on our core strength of building powerful software and supporting our partners to do what they do best: deliver specialized industry-specific functionality and applications built on Autodesk's software."

    GenMap and Utility Design Transfer Options

Autodesk has worked closely with Cook-Hurlbert and USC to provide expanded utility solutions for customers into new, specialized applications. Various options for customers include:

         Autodesk(R) Utility Design - For current Autodesk Utility
         Design (AUD) customers, Cook-Hurlbert is committed to
         integrating familiar functionality into the future release of
         Expert Designer 3, Cook-Hurlbert's powerful application for
         integrating work-management and geographic information
         systems. In addition, other companies, such as SophSys with
         their Sherpa product line, also provide Autodesk-based design
         and estimating automation solutions to the electric and gas
         distribution industries.
         Autodesk(R) GenMap - For electric utilities who require
         enterprise GIS solutions, Autodesk has developed a transition
         path to Autodesk GIS Design Server. This solution provides
         performance, integrity, security, and multiuser concurrency
         for implementing enterprise mapping systems that facilitate
         faster decision-making, reduced operational expenses, and
         improved customer service. For smaller electric utilities,
         customers can transition to USC's USMap product. Based on
         Autodesk Map, USMap is a rules-based and object-oriented
         product that brings flexibility and power to the user in a
         single interface. Coupled with Autodesk MapGuide, users can
         distribute their utility mapping data within the
         organization.
         To help with the migration to Autodesk GIS Design Server,
         Autodesk is working closely with a number of system
         integrators including Advantica Stoner, Isosceles Information
         Solutions, KEMA Consulting, and Linnet Systems.

For more information on these products and special transition offers, contact Autodesk or each respective company.

    About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain use digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, Autodesk MapGuide, and Autodesk Map are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT:          Autodesk 
                  Eric Sutphin, 415/507-6658
                  eric.sutphin@autodesk.com

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