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Ferretti Group Selects Altair Engineering’s HyperWorks Optimization Technology to Improve Design

Italian luxury yacht builders use Altair’s advanced integrated engineering framework to optimize new composite material for their designs. TROY, Mich., (June 29, 2006) - Altair Engineering, Inc., a leading global provider of technology and services that strengthen client innovation and decision-making, announced today that Ferretti Group, the Italian-based international group of yacht builders, has chosen Altair’s HyperWorks computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology to optimize the structure of new composite materials. HyperWorks’ open, programmable engineering framework is a comprehensive set of technologically advanced solutions that streamline the product development process. The tools also improve product quality, increase productivity, reduce time to market and enable a business to outperform the competition.



Ferretti Group regards quality and technological innovation as important forces in driving production. The yachts combine high performance with advanced design, ergonomics, form and function. More than 60 specialists supervise the progress of each single yacht from design to construction, and all stages of planning and testing are carried out using leading-edge computer technology. Ferretti Group implements a virtual development process to ensure that their yachts will be superior in terms of performance and technology.



"We chose the HyperWorks engineering framework to optimize our development process and our material," said Andrea Crucianelli, CAE manager at the Engineering Division of the Ferretti Group. "Quality, form, function and security are major goals at Ferretti Group in building new yachts. It is important that we combine our handcrafting work with design and modern simulation technologies to reach those goals.



"Today, building outstanding boats such as ours, it is not enough to simply provide standard marine architecture," he continued. "We need to find a perfect balance between different parameters and requirements. Quality is a major issue of marine engineering, but cruising performance, safety, comfort, and the space and brightness of the interiors are also critical. Furthermore, we have to guarantee the standard of materials and appearance, and the functional efficiency of the boat. The integrated CAE framework from Altair helps us to decide on and optimize the composite material we need in order to meet all the listed requirements in yacht building, with the opportunity of fast-changing the parameters."



"I am proud that a respected yacht builder such as Ferretti Group has chosen Altair HyperWorks to develop and construct their boats," said Cosimo Panetta, managing director of Altair Italy. "Ferretti Group builds yachts that combine the pleasure of cruising with a skilled understanding of the sea and modern materials, technology and engineering skills. Yacht builders produce only a limited number of one design, and can’t afford to optimize the material on real prototypes. HyperWorks will meet their demands for constant innovation and fast product development cycles, as well as ensure high product quality."





About Ferretti Group

Ferretti Group, leaded by its President, Mr. Norberto Ferretti, is: Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Itama, Bertram, Riva, Apreamare, Mochi Craft, Custom Line and CRN. With more than 2500 employees (non counting the tertiary parts) and over 630.000 squared meters of surface (covered and uncovered), 19 production sites in Italy, two in Spain, and one in the United States of America, Ferretti Group set its revenues at 636 million euros on Aug. 31, 2005, improving 14 percent compared to 557 million euros of the previous nautical year.




About Altair Engineering

Altair Engineering, Inc. strengthens client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of business and engineering information. Privately held with more than 800 employees, Altair has offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 20-year-plus track record for product design, advanced engineering software and grid computing technologies, Altair consistently delivers a competitive advantage to customers in a broad range of industries. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.






The Altair Engineering Logo and all Altair Engineering product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Altair Engineering Inc., USA. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Evelyn Gebhardt
Marketing & PR
Tel. : +49 6421 4870435
evelyn.gebhardt@eg-marketing-pr.de

Diane Forbes
Altair Engineering, Inc.
(248) 614-2400, ext. 464
dforbes@altair.com