Investor Relations

Leading global specialty chemicals company uses Aspen WebModels(R) to provide decision-makers with easy, secure access to simulation models via an Internet browser and XML technology

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000811/ASPENLOGO )

Aspen WebModels is an integral component of the Aspen Engineering Suite(TM), and enables process manufacturers to provide universal access to critical simulation models via a standard Internet browser. By allowing financial and operational decision-makers to exploit the knowledge captured in these models, companies have the tools to achieve improved profitability and performance.

Degussa is using Aspen WebModels, and its browser-based XML technology, to enable its specialty chemicals plants to optimize their production by making use of the detailed engineering models created by its Process Technology & Engineering Service Unit. Using these models, the plants are able to optimize their manufacturing process to achieve improved throughput and reduced energy consumption. Prior to using the Aspen WebModels technology, the plants had no convenient way of accessing and exploiting the engineering models.

"Aspen WebModels allows us to leverage our expert knowledge and provide it in an appropriate, secure format to the local experts at the plant level," said Ralf Janowsky, Director, Computer Aided Process Engineering of Degussa's Process Technology division. "We believe that this technology will provide an important path to help us develop innovative solutions and improve our business performance."

Having relied on AspenTech's engineering design and simulation tools for a number of years, Degussa has stored a substantial amount of valuable internal process knowledge and data within its Aspen Plus(R) simulation models. The use of Aspen WebModels delivers significant improvements in knowledge management, as users across the company benefit from individually configured access to this data from any location and at any time of the day.

"Degussa's commitment to this implementation of Aspen WebModels is a significant step in industry-wide acceptance of our knowledge-sharing technology," said Larry Evans, Chairman and CEO of Aspen Technology. "Aspen WebModels advances our use of XML technology, and enables our customers to efficiently and securely provide interactive process knowledge with only minimal additional training and deployment costs."

The Aspen Engineering Suite and Aspen WebModels enable workflow-based solutions, integrating best-in-class engineering and software technologies designed to increase engineering efficiency, return on capital and operational margins. Using these tools, companies can address the challenges specific to their industry: minimizing utility costs, increasing operating margins and maximizing return on capital employed. These results are achieved through enhanced integration, providing seamless data transfer and the re-use of process data and plant models throughout both the innovation and engineering workflow and the lifecycle of the plant.

About Degussa AG

Degussa is an entirely newly formed, multinational corporation consistently aligned to highly profitable specialty chemistry. With sales of EUR12.9 billion and a workforce of some 53,400, it is Germany's third-largest chemical company and world market leader in specialty chemicals. In fiscal 2001, the corporation generated operating profits (EBITA) of more than EUR1 billion. Degussa's core strength lies in highly effective system solutions tailored to the requirements of its customers in over 100 countries throughout the world. Its activities are led by the vision "Everybody benefits from a Degussa product - every day and everywhere."

About AspenTech

Aspen Technology, Inc. is a leading supplier of integrated software and solutions to the process industries. The company's Aspen ProfitAdvantage(TM) solution enables companies to identify and maximize profit opportunities throughout their entire value chain -- from the supply of raw materials, through the production of goods, to the delivery of final products to customers. The Aspen ProfitAdvantage solution encompasses engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and e-business collaboration technologies, providing the tools that enable manufacturers to design, optimize and execute business processes in real time. Over 1,200 leading process companies already rely on AspenTech's 21 years of process industry experience to increase revenues, reduce costs and improve capital efficiency. AspenTech's customers include: Air Liquide, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BASF, BP, Chevron, Degussa, Dow Chemical, DuPont, ExxonMobil, GlaxoSmithKline, Lyondell Equistar, Merck, Mitsubishi Chemical, and Unilever. For more information, visit www.aspentech.com.

Certain paragraphs of this press release contain forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, any statement using the term "will," "should," "could," "anticipates," "believes" or a comparable term is a forward-looking statement. Actual results may vary significantly from AspenTech's expectations based on a number of risks and uncertainties, including: AspenTech's lengthy sales cycle which makes it difficult to predict quarterly operating results; fluctuations in AspenTech's quarterly operating results; AspenTech's dependence on customers in the cyclical chemicals, petrochemicals and petroleum industries; AspenTech's need to hire additional qualified personnel and its dependence on key current employees; intense competition; AspenTech's dependence on systems integrators and other strategic partners; changes in the market for e-business solutions for AspenTech's customers; increased governmental regulation and taxation of e-commerce and the Internet; information security and privacy concerns relating to e-commerce; and other risk factors described from time to time in AspenTech's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AspenTech cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Moreover, neither AspenTech nor anyone else assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking statements. AspenTech undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

AspenTech, Aspen ProfitAdvantage, Aspen WebModels, Aspen Engineering Suite, Aspen Plus and the aspen leaf logo are trademarks of Aspen Technology, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.

     Contacts:
     For Media:
     Peter Watt
     Aspen Technology, Inc.
     +44 1223 819-752
     peter.watt@aspentech.com

     Carin Warner
     Warner Communications
     (978) 526-1960
     carin@warnerpr.com

     For Investors:
     Joshua Young
     Aspen Technology, Inc.
     (617) 949-1274
     joshua.young@aspentech.com


                    MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT -  Click Here
               http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X83634861

CONTACT:          Media, Peter Watt of Aspen Technology, Inc., +44 1223 819-752,
                  peter.watt@aspentech.com; or Carin Warner of Warner Communications,
                  +1-978-526-1960, carin@warnerpr.com; or Investors, Joshua Young of Aspen
                  Technology, Inc., +1-617-949-1274, joshua.young@aspentech.com
                  /Photo:  NewsCom:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000811/ASPENLOGO
                  AP Archive:  http://photoarchive.ap.org
                  PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840

URL:              http://www.aspentech.com
http://www.prnewswire.com

Copyright (C) 2002 PR Newswire.  All rights reserved.