Orlando, Fla.—More than 2,000 Aspen Technology users from 41 countries gathered here Feb. 6-11 to participate in AspenWorld 2000. Lawrence Evans, Aspen's founder and ceo, unveiled a "new Aspen Technology" that extends its optimization solutions to include enterprise and business-to-business solutions. "We are extending from our process expertise roots to embrace the Internet and expand our solutions to enable e-business for our customers," says Mr. Evans. AspenTech is marketing three integrated solution suites: eSupply Chain, Manufacturing, and Engineering under the umbrella of Enterprise Optimization and Plantelligence solutions. AspenTech and its partners will use Aspen Framework, a multitier, distributed application component architecture based on Microsoft's Distributed iNternet Architecture (DNA) to deliver enterprise optimization solutions. AspenTech recognizes the need to remain focused on its core competencies of process optimization while extending into enterprise optimization. It recently extended its solution partners to include: IBM, Microsoft, Extricity, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Union Carbide, Origin, and Intergraph. For more information, visit www.aspentech.com or www.controleng.com/freeinfo.