SoftBrands Inc.plan to make its Fourth Shift Edition for SAP Business One manufacturing management solution commercially available in seven additional manufacturing markets around the world during the next two quarters.

Fourth Shift Edition will be available in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia during the fourth quarter of 2005. In the first quarter of 2006, it will be launched in the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. Fourth Shift Edition, SoftBrands' modular and fully integrated ERP system for small and midsize manufacturers, is already available in the United States and Canada.

Moreover, SoftBrands recently demonstrated its commitment to the German market by acquiring Infra Business Solutions, a privately held German software company. Infra is a reseller and development partner of SAP Business One. SoftBrands expects to have a translated and localised version of the Fourth Shift Edition for SAP Business One for Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland in the second half of 2006.

"The countries we're entering are vibrant markets with a clear need for the new and powerful capabilities Fourth Shift Edition brings to an organisation," said Ralf Suerken, SoftBrands senior vice president and general manager of manufacturing. "The timing is right for this rollout as, increasingly, worldwide supply-chain integration and collaboration is demanded of small and midsize manufacturers. Fourth Shift Edition for SAP Business One is a natural fit for those suppliers, especially if their parent organisations or key customers are already running a SAP solution."

"We're moving quickly to seize growth opportunities by entering these new markets with the Fourth Shift Edition for SAP Business One," Suerken said. "It's important that we quickly extend the benefits of the SoftBrands and SAP integration to manufacturers in these new markets."