Leading Manufacturer Adapts to Business Changes with Ultimate Software’s UltiPro®

Weston, FL, May 5, 2009 — Ultimate Software (Nasdaq: ULTI), a leading provider of end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, today announced that Ahlstrom Nonwovens, LLC, a global leader in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of high performance fiber-based materials, is using the UltiPro human capital management (HCM) solution delivered through software-as-a-service (SaaS) to weather changing business conditions.

Prior to implementing UltiPro in 2004, Ahlstrom’s U.S. offices utilized an AS400 solution. However, the company found its HR and payroll teams needed greater Web-based functionality for its workforce along with more personalized customer support. With 1,400 U.S.-based employees and many business areas under its umbrella, Ahlstrom’s decision-making team selected Ultimate because of the company’s well-known reputation for superior customer service. Other key factors in the decision included the UltiPro solution’s easily configurable HCM features, its robust reporting, and Web access for administrators and employees in Ahlstrom’s nine locations throughout the U.S.

Since deploying UltiPro, Ahlstrom has used the solution to address timely business challenges such as:

Staying on top of labor costs and workforce analytics in a changing economy

Scaling its workforce to meet market demands

Reducing overall HCM costs with SaaS

Manufacturers need to constantly monitor labor costs and related workforce metrics so they can rapidly respond if demand for products change and then adjust their processes and labor forces appropriately. Using UltiPro, organizations can drill down into point-in-time data for meaningful business analytics needed for short- and long-term planning.

“It is important for me to be able to respond quickly to information requests from senior management,” said Sharon Camody, HRIS manager, North America for Ahlstrom. “With UltiPro, I regularly build tailored reports to address specific questions related to critical issues, such as manpower expenses or productivity. I may also need to provide breakdowns of data by state, business area, or product line. With our previous provider, it was impossible for me to provide the quantity or quality of business intelligence reports that I build today without assistance from IT. Management appreciates the ability to give them what they need when they need it.”

Reporting is critical for businesses that need to quickly adapt to fluctuations in their industry. With UltiPro, Ahlstrom’s HR/payroll team has been able to use the solution to manage increases and decreases in its workforce as needed. In the past five years, for example, Camody has managed seven acquisitions. UltiPro’s flexibility and reporting capabilities have helped HR manage these labor changes while getting back to business rapidly.

“UltiPro has helped drive our organization toward more standardized business rules and processes throughout the company. It allows us to easily apply these same rules to new business areas that are added to the system,” said Camody. “UltiPro is flexible enough to get newly acquired companies up and running in a short amount of time while providing them with the autonomy to update their data in the system moving forward.”

Another factor that most businesses must contend with today is controlling costs. With UltiPro, Ahlstrom saved time and resources with Ultimate’s SaaS model, eliminating the manufacturer’s need to purchase and install hardware, invest in an upfront software license, or dedicate internal IT staff to the project.

“With SaaS, my shared services team and our remote HR and payroll administrators all have access to comprehensive human capital management functionality without our IT resources having to support the system,” said Camody. “With our old solution, upgrades were cumbersome. With UltiPro, we have more flexibility in scheduling upgrades, and I appreciate having the upgrades applied transparently without involving our internal IT team—as was the situation with our previous application. Moving to UltiPro’s HCM solution delivered through SaaS was one of the best decisions we’ve made.”

“Personnel expenses can account for 60% to 80% of most businesses’ operating expenses. That means that in an environment where savings is more essential than ever, payroll and HR leaders have the greatest potential to impact bottom-line business goals,” said Greg Swick, chief sales officer for Ultimate Software. “By switching to UltiPro delivered through SaaS, customers like Ahlstrom can save by reducing upfront fees, streamlining HCM processes, improving strategic reporting to more closely monitor workforce expenses, and minimizing paper and printing requirements.”

About Ultimate Software

A leading provider of end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, Ultimate markets its award-winning UltiPro products as on-demand services through software-as-a-service (SaaS) and as on-premise software. Based in Weston, FL, the Company employs more than 900 professionals who are focused on developing the highest quality products and services. In 2008, Ultimate was the first HR/payroll SaaS provider to be audited and awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2005 Certification for security management, was named the #1 “Best Product Development Team” in the nation by the American Business Awards, and was ranked the #1 best medium-size company to work for in America by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Ultimate has more than 1,700 customers representing diverse industries, including such organizations as The Container Store, Elizabeth Arden, Major League Baseball, The New York Yankees Baseball Team, Nintendo of America, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Sony Music Entertainment. More information on Ultimate’s products and services can be found at www.ultimatesoftware.com.