Paris, France – June 3, 2008 – ESI Group (ESIN FR0004110310), a pioneer and world-leading supplier of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes, announced today that Modelação e Ferramentaria Beckert has become their agent in southern Brazil. MF Beckert’s initial activities will be to promote ESI’s ProCAST and QuikCAST software, used for casting process simulation.

ESI Group has had a presence in Brazil for over a decade, with distinguished customers such as General Motors, Tower Automotive, Embraer, Fagor Ederlan, Ferramentaria JN, IMBIL, Villares Metals, etc. With the addition of MF Beckert to its distribution network, ESI Group expands its presence and will be able to better serve this important area of Brazil which is home to many casting companies with diverse and varied casting needs.  This alignment will also allow ESI to more quickly develop new projects that demand numerical simulation to achieve better and faster results; it will also enhance items already in production. With this agreement MF Beckert serves as a sales channel for ESI Group for both service and software.

"We have known MF Beckert for many years, and we are aware of their competence in the casting area. We are sure that their presence in the South of Brazil will accelerate the expansion of ESI Group in this region, as well as improve the support of existing customers," said Arthur Camanho, Regional Indirect Channels Manager for Brazil and South America.

"ESI Group’s software solutions allow us to simulate anything from filling to solidification, taking into account everything from the physics involved to the mechanical properties, deformations, etc.," added Gerson Beckert, Director of MF Beckert. "This is a significant advantage in terms of cost and benefits when compared to other existing solutions in the market," he continued.

More information about ESI Group can be found at www.esi-group.com or by email to aca@esi-group.com. More information about MF Beckert can be found at www.mfbeckert.com.br or by email to beckert@mfbeckert.com.br. 

About ESI Group

ESI Group is a world-leading supplier and pioneer of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes that take into account the physics of materials. ESI Group has developed an extensive suite of coherent, industry-oriented applications to realistically simulate a product’s behavior during testing, to fine-tune manufacturing processes in accordance with desired product performance, and to evaluate the environment’s impact on product performance. ESI Group’s offer represents a unique collaborative solution with an open virtual engineering environment known as the Virtual Try-Out Space, enabling virtual prototypes to be improved in a continuous and collaborative manner while eliminating the need for physical prototypes during product development. The company employs over 700 high-level specialists worldwide covering more than 30 countries. ESI Group is listed in compartment C of Euronext Paris. For further information, visit www.esi-group.com.

About MF Beckert

MF Beckert is a pioneer in the development of casting molds. Established in 1978, MF Beckert is focused on the southern area of Brazil and is dedicated to technical assistance and development of casting molds for various processes.

Press Relations

ESI Group      
Amy de Rouvray
Tel. : +33(0)1 41 73 59 01    

MF Beckert Ltda.
Gerson Beckert
beckert@mfbeckert.com.br
Tel. : +55 (47) 3427 6804 / 9964 2228

Virtual Try-Out Space® is a registered trademark of ESI Group. All other products, names or companies are the brands or registered trademarks of their respective owners.