Sakai Launches SmartEquip's Software System For Advanced Dealer Support

NORWALK, CT - January 18, 2006 - Sakai America, Inc., the North American arm of the largest producer of ride-on compaction equipment in the world, has launched the SmartEquip’s Parts & Service Manager, providing their dealers SmartEquip’s web-based parts ordering and product support system.

“We chose SmartEquip to serve our expanding dealer network and grow market share by providing the most advanced equipment support and parts ordering solution available,” said Dave Brown, Sakai America’s Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Parts & Service Manager – Powered by SmartEquip™ – provides a single platform for manufacturer service documentation and electronic commerce transactions – delivering continually updated product information to users, including intelligent parts diagrams, parts pricing, equipment diagnostics, service manuals and equipment specifications. Parts and Service Manager contains a secure pipeline for streamlined order placement, providing real-time on-line parts availability and accurately transmitting the order data directly from the customer to Sakai’s ordering system.

Commenting on the launch, Ray Ferwerda, Jr. President GS Equipment Co in Tampa, FL, said, “Sakai recognizes that world-class service is critical to building a successful compaction equipment business. SmartEquip’s technology will enable us to provide significantly improved maintenance and support services to our customers over the entire equipment lifecycle.”

"The Parts & Service Manager application extends Sakai’s ability to support their dealers and customers accurately and efficiently,” said Alex Schuessler, SmartEquip’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Through seamless integration of parts and service information with Sakai’s own SYSPRO™ enterprise software system, users are presented with a single process for product support, parts selection and parts ordering. That ease-of-use provides tremendous time savings and accuracy improvements and is critical in streamlining the maintenance process and increasing equipment uptime.”

About Sakai America, Inc.
Sakai America, Inc. is the Adairsville, GA-based North American arm of Sakai Heavy Industries, Ltd., the largest producer of ride-on vibratory compaction equipment in the world. Sakai’s high force vibratory soil compactors and high frequency vibratory asphalt rollers have been available in North America since 1976. Manufactured to ISO 9001 standards, Sakai rollers have earned an unequaled service record on all types of soil, rockfill, hot mix asphalt, recycled base materials and soil cement. (770) 877-9433 www.sakaiamerica.com