Calumet Electronics Earns 2008 Summit Award at Consona User Conference

LAS VEGAS, INDIANAPOLIS and Calumet, Mich., Oct. 16, 2008—Consona Corporation (Consona), a worldwide leader in providing customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and services for companies of all sizes, today announced at its premier user conference, Consona Connect, that Calumet Electronics Corp. (Calumet), a Calumet, Mich.-based Cimnet Systems/Paradigm user and manufacturer of printed circuit boards for power distribution systems, aerospace and medical instruments, is the 2008 recipient of the software provider’s Best Overall Use Award.

The Best Overall Use Award, part of Consona’s annual Summit Awards, honors a customer that has demonstrated excellence in utilizing multiple products (modules, features, add-on, third-party) and services from Consona. Recipients of the award submit both qualitative and quantitative data that illustrate how the solution has improved the customer’s overall business performance. Award recipients display full use of both core and add-on solutions, steady business growth, a strong return on investment, and a passion for implementing and mastering new technologies.

In business for more than 40 years, Calumet first installed Paradigm in 1992, but didn’t take advantage of all of the system’s capabilities as a result of a rushed installation with no guidance. In 2005, organizational changes and a new CEO brought a new appreciation of the need for ERP and dedication to getting the benefits from the system they already had in place.

With the help of Cimnet Systems consultants from Consona, Calumet set a number of goals and prioritized the actions they would take to increase use of the system and resolve some of the challenges they were facing. The top three areas for action were: shop scheduling, RMA handling and replacement of outdated bar-code equipment for better shop-floor tracking. Better leveraging the capabilities of the system that Calumet had installed for more than a dozen years allowed the company to regain control of its business and realize the following returns:

-Maintained 100 percent on-time delivery across all customers and product lines since implementing plan-by-schedule.

-Increased efficiency and reduced costs.

-Improved customer service through a fully-functioning RMA subsystem.

-Gained real-time view of shortages and issues.

-Enhanced engineering change process and gained better planning capabilities.

“In the past year, we have made tremendous strides in maximizing our use of the Paradigm system,” said Ray Bosley, systems engineer at Calumet Electronics. “With Cimnet Systems’ assistance, we have turned on and started fully implementing many unused or under-used features of the Paradigm solution.”

“It is our pleasure to honor Calumet with a Summit Award for their absolutely outstanding achievements," said Jeff Tognoni, CEO of Consona. "Calumet stands as an example of the dedication it takes to gain maximum return on a business system investment. The growth and success this company has achieved with our support reminds all of us at Consona why we're in business."

About Consona Corporation
Consona Corporation (Consona, formerly known as M2M Holdings Inc.) is a worldwide leader in providing customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and services for companies of all sizes. Consona is dedicated to becoming a valued business partner by helping each and every customer continuously improve business processes over time. Toward this mission, Consona invests in the people, processes, technology and tools needed to provide its customers with a unique combination of customer care; product fit; a broad range of consulting, IT and business services; and industry expertise. Consona serves more than 4,500 customers worldwide and across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, financial services, health care, high tech, and local government. Battery Ventures and Thoma Bravo jointly own Consona. For further information, visit www.consona.com, e-mail info@consona.com, or call (888) 8 CONSONA.