ASCL Ascential Software - Common Stock (MM)

Pulte Homes Builds its Business with Ascential Software Data Integration Solution Ascential Software Provides a Solid Foundation for Quality and Customer Service WESTBORO, Mass., April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ascential Software Corporation (NASDAQ:ASCL), the enterprise data integration leader, today announced that Pulte Homes, Inc. (NYSE:PHM), one of the nation's largest homebuilders, has selected the Ascential Enterprise Integration Suite(TM) to integrate and centralize data from operations, customer, and sales and marketing databases in order to create a complete view of the customer. Pulte Homes employs over 12,000 people, and has operations in 45 markets throughout 27 states. Under its Del Webb brand, Pulte Homes is the country's leading builder of active adult communities for people age 55 and better. Pulte Homes has constructed more than 408,000 residences in its 55-year history, has been honored as "America's Best Builder," and was named the inaugural recipient of the JD Power and Associates Platinum Award for Excellence in Customer Service among the country's leading homebuilders in 2004. As part of its customer service initiative, the company tracks feedback shortly after a customer moves in and again at the 11-month mark. "We have made a commitment to continue to drive innovative technology initiatives internally in order to maintain our reputation for superior customer service. Pulte Homes has grown exponentially in the last few years and operates in an environment of consistent change," said Ken Milder, project manager for Pulte Homes. "We selected the Ascential Software solution so that Pulte Homes executives are able to access strategic data, and make business decisions with confidence." Prior to choosing Ascential Software, Pulte Homes did not have a data integration solution. As a result, the company's departments and data were siloed. In order to maintain its leadership position, Pulte Homes realized that its data must be used as a critical corporate asset. The company chose Ascential Software for the functionality and completeness of the data integration platform, in addition to the IT department's strong working relationship with Ascential Software support. "As a top-ranking home builder, Pulte Homes has a responsibility to consistently deliver high-quality homes and excellent purchase experiences," said Mark Register, chief marketing officer, Ascential Software. "Having a strong data integration solution is necessary to ensuring high quality data for decision making so that the company can continue its billing as one of America's largest home building companies." The Ascential Enterprise Integration Suite is a comprehensive data integration solution that profiles, cleanses, and transforms data from virtually any application or system regardless of data volume or latency. Ascential Software's integrated offering is designed to help companies streamline operations, improve customer support, expedite business transactions, and make better tactical and strategic decisions on the basis of the best available information. The Suite provides unlimited scalability through parallel processing, complete meta data management, any-to-any data source and application connectivity, and delivers on-demand data integration seamlessly within an enterprise's service-oriented architecture. About Pulte Homes Pulte Homes, Inc., (NYSE:PHM), based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is a FORTUNE 200 company with operations in 45 markets and 27 states. In 2004, the company closed 38,612 domestic home sales and generated revenues of $11.7 billion. During its 55-year history, the company has constructed more than 408,000 homes. In 2004, J.D. Power and Associates named Pulte the inaugural recipient of its Platinum Award for Excellence in Customer Service among America's leading homebuilders. J.D. Power ranked Pulte No. 1 in 14 markets, and among the top three in 23 of 25 markets surveyed. Under its Del Webb brand, Pulte is the nation's leading builder of active adult communities for people age 55 and older. Its DiVosta operation is nationally recognized for a trademarked building system that has delivered more than 25,000 "Built Solid" (R) homes in Florida since 1960. Pulte Mortgage LLC is a nationwide lender and offers Pulte customers a wide variety of loan products and superior customer service. Websites: http://www.pulte.com/; http://www.delwebb.com/; http://www.divosta.com/ About Ascential Software Ascential Software Corporation (NASDAQ:ASCL) is the leader in enterprise data integration. Customers and partners worldwide use the Ascential Enterprise Integration Suite(TM) to confidently transform data into accurate, reliable and complete business information to improve operational performance and decision-making across every critical business dimension. Our comprehensive end-to-end solutions provide on demand data integration complemented by our professional services, industry expertise, and methodologies. Ascential Software is headquartered in Westboro, Mass., and has more than 3,000 customers and partners globally across such industries as financial services and banking, insurance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, telecommunications and government. For more information call 1-800-966-9875 (508-366.3888 if calling from outside the US or Canada) or visit the Ascential Software website at http://www.ascential.com/. Media and industry analysts, contact Chas Kielt, director of media and analyst relations, at 1-508-599-7256 or . Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events, and these statements are subject to important factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release address a variety of subjects including, for example, the functionality, characteristics, quality and performance capabilities of Ascential Software's products and technology; results achievable and benefits attainable through deployment of Ascential Software's products and provision of services; the ability of Ascential Software's products to help companies streamline operations, improve customer support, expedite business transactions, and make better tactical and strategic decisions on the basis of the best available information; and improvements in operational performance and decision-making. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: the ability of the company to expand its market share; growth rates for the enterprise data integration software market; general business conditions in the software industry, the technology sector, and in the domestic and international economies; rapid technological change in the markets served by the company; dependence on international operations; global and geopolitical instability; compliance costs associated with regulations to which the company is subject, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the impact of such regulations; and difficulties that the company may experience integrating technologies, operations and personnel of completed or future acquisitions. For a detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to the filings made by Ascential Software with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Ascential Software disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements made herein to reflect any change in Ascential Software's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which such statements are based. Ascential Software is not responsible for statements attributed to third parties within this release or in any materials referenced herein. Partnerships described herein shall be deemed to be strategic alliances only, and shall not imply the power of either partner to bind the other partner or to incur obligations on behalf of the other partner. Ascential, Ascential DataStage, Ascential QualityStage, Ascential MetaStage and Ascential Enterprise Integration Suite are trademarks of Ascential Software Corporation or its affiliates and may be registered in the United States or other jurisdictions. Other marks are the property of the owners of those marks. DATASOURCE: Ascential Software Corporation CONTACT: Chas Kielt of Ascential Software Corporation, +1-508-599-7256, ; or Mary Keith of Porter Novelli, +1-617-897-8281, Web site: http://www.ascentialsoftware.com/ http://www.pulte.com/

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