WOLFSBERG, Austria, & SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jun 12, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design and digital content creation company, today announced that Kohlbach GmbH & Co., a leading manufacturer of biomass-fueled power stations and furnaces, (www.kohlbach.at) has selected the Autodesk Inventor Series for its combination of 2D and 3D technologies. The company will use Autodesk software to optimize its product design process, achieving shorter time to market and cost savings. In addition, Kohlbach will benefit from Autodesk Inventor software's excellent data migration capabilities to easily transfer and reuse its extensive library of legacy CAD drawings. Kohlbach plants are in use in several European countries including Austria, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic, and are world renowned for their excellent reliability and efficiency.

"The design of our large biomass-powered furnaces and power plants was originally done in the 2D environment, but we have recognized that a sophisticated technology like Autodesk Inventor will help us speed our design process and bring products to market faster," said Walter Kohlbach, CEO at Kohlbach GmbH. "The Autodesk Inventor Series allows us to work seamlessly in 2D as well as in 3D, a significant advantage for our designers who need to use both technologies. The ability to translate our legacy CAD data with very high fidelity so we can fully reuse our existing designs in Autodesk Inventor software was also a crucial factor in making our decision."

"Leading manufacturers like Kohlbach are recognizing the business benefits of moving to a 3D design system to facilitate better time to market and stay competitive," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Autodesk Manufacturing Division. "The Autodesk Inventor Series delivers the technology that our customers need to get their jobs done faster and more efficiently than ever before in this rapidly changing global manufacturing market."

    MCDS GmbH Supports Kohlbach's Legacy Data Migration

The Autodesk Authorized System Center MCDS of Linz, Austria (www.mcds.net), which has a long-standing relationship with Kohlbach, was essential to supporting the company's adoption of the Autodesk Inventor Series. Working with Kohlbach, MCDS evaluated several CAD data interface solutions and eventually set up a process that automatically translated Kohlbach's legacy CAD data to Autodesk's DWG format. MCDS has been specializing in mechanical CAD from Autodesk for five years. The company provides superior quality products and services to customers all over Austria.

    About Kohlbach GmbH

Kohlbach is a manufacturer of biomass-fueled power stations and furnaces, offering both components and turnkey solutions. The company was founded in 1946 and has continually expanded its operations. Kohlbach is an innovative company with many patents. Plants from Kohlbach are in use in several European countries and are renowned for their reliability and efficiency.

    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 leverage digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Note to Editors: Autodesk and Autodesk Inventor are registered 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, Inc.
                  Cindi Goodsell, 415/507-8452
                  cindi.goodsell@autodesk.com 

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