Also in PRODNET-II, the Open Reference Architecture with well defined interface specifications, will allow other software companies to develop compatible products. An operational demonstrator involving PRODNET II end user nodes, partly in Europe and partly in Brazil is planned. Compared to other world-wide R&D activities, PRODNET shows a number of advantages and INNOVATIVE FACTORS, among which the following points can be mentioned:

* Combination of various supporting;

* Technologies: STEP, EDI, Distributed/federated DB, WWW, etc;

* Imprecise / incomplete orders management (a unique feature);

* Emphasis on SMEs and theirs peculiarities;

* Social / organizational impacts study;

* Internet-based with support for other "private" links;

* Integration of legacy systems;

* "Open door" to advanced research approaches (network-wide production management);

* Support for quality-related transactions.

The consortium kernel is formed by SMEs, including software developers (involved in production management, product data technology, EDI, communications) and industrial end users. The involved universities complement the technical skills of the consortium while working in tight connection with the software houses and system integrators.

The consortium inclues also a Latin American "leg" - A Brazilian University and an enterprise. The benefits of this Latin American involvement in the project is three-fold. Besides complementing the technical skills of the European partners, their involvment will provide on one hand the conditions for a truly intercontinental evaluation of the proposed PRODNET plataform, and on the other hand it contributes to the strenghthening of the economic and technical co-operation between European and Brazilian companies. This is also an opportunity to put into practice the recently approved Framework Agreement for the co-operation between the EU and Brazil.

Considering several case studies that we have been performed in this area, we foresee that within the next few years all companies will devote a considerable amount (up to 45%) of their IT investments to the enterprise networking products. Therefore, the potential of financial success for this project is guaranteed and the consortium is strongly commited to exploit its results both in the European and the Latin American markets. The calculated expectation time for the consortium to migrate the system from the prototype version to a commercial product, is LESS THAN ONE YEAR.