IBM and Dassault Systèmes to Host Eighth Annual ECF in Paris, October 12-14

Europe’s most important PLM forum for manufacturing companies;a comprehensive program to help manufacturers unleash the business benefits of PLM

Paris, France – June 21, 2004 - IBM and Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that the 2004 ECF will be held October 12-14 at the Newport Bay Hotel at Disneyland Paris. This international symposium – the largest of its kind in the area of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) – will bring together users, business leaders, developers and consultants of PLM Solutions from IBM and Dassault Systèmes.

The ECF is designed to educate delegates on how they can harness PLM Solutions to create competitive advantages, with more than two days of sessions on topics such as business strategy using PLM, real-life customer implementations, PLM product strategy and trends, and workshops on implementation processes, best practices and new product functionality.

This year’s forum, with the theme “Experience at ECF How PLM Benefits Your Business,” will focus on the goals and challenges facing manufacturing industries. ECF 2004 will include sessions designed to help users of IBM PLM Solutions, developed by Dassault Systèmes, benefit from the experiences of world-leading manufacturers. PLM users from a wide range of industries will lead more than 15 “Learn from Your Peers” sessions.

New this year are specific business-value sessions that will address business transformation and manufacturing challenges. There will also be industry-specific workshops for key industries, including automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, fabrication and assembly, electronics, and complex components. More than 50 technology-focused sessions are planned, covering product strategy and trends, product functionality, and complementary partner-developed PLM applications.

The 2004 ECF exhibition area will feature the latest in PLM technology from IBM, Dassault Systèmes, and more than 50 software, technology, business, and service partners. Attendees will be able to network with their peers while enjoying live demonstrations and a cyber cafe.

PLM Solutions from IBM and Dassault Systèmes are collaborative product design and data management solutions that enable companies to innovate and introduce products to market quickly, while also providing the capability to share common business processes and product knowledge with suppliers and customers and drive overall productivity improvement.

“The ECF is the key PLM event of the year,” said Scott Hopkins, general manager, IBM Product Lifecycle Management. “With a rich agenda, motivational speakers, and delegates from leading companies from all manufacturing industries, the event is designed to stimulate interaction and deliver PLM-related information that attendees can put to use to enhance their own product development and manufacturing processes.”

“This year’s ECF is about effective PLM realization and implementation”, said Bernard Charlès, president and CEO, Dassault Systèmes. “End-to-end V5 solutions are revolutionizing the way products are designed, simulated, and produced, and their life cycles managed, with our integrated portfolio of CATIA, for digital creation and engineering; DELMIA, for digital manufacturing and production; ENOVIA, for product data and lifecycle management and decision support; and SMARTEAM, for product lifecycle management. ECF is a privileged event for our customers to share and learn about the business transformations enabled by PLM and to reap the benefits of a true 3D vision of the entire product lifecycle.”

All plenary sessions and customer testimonials will be simultaneously translated into English, French, and German.

For complete information about the ECF, including the full agenda and registration kit, please visit www.ecforum.com.