Boeing

DigitalXpress, a provider of satellite communications services, announced today that it has signed a business agreement with Oakwood Homes Corporation, the nation's largest retailer of manufactured housing.

Thanks to DigitalXpress' satellite communications services, Oakwood Homes expects to save one-third of its retail sales training budget this year.

DigitalXpress specializes in high-quality, low-cost satellite-to-desktop digital video, audio and data information distribution systems for the business community. Oakwood is tapping DigitalXpress' services to broadcast its retail sales training programs and other companywide communications. The housing retailer employs more than 7,000 people nationwide at 330 retail sites, 17 manufacturing facilities, and three regional offices.

"With such a dispersed employee audience, Oakwood knew that partnering with DigitalXpress would allow us to efficiently send a simultaneous, unified message to employees from our corporate headquarters," said Thom Cross, senior vice president of retail distribution for Oakwood Homes Corporation.

"Oakwood Homes is an example of how a large retailer is leveraging efficient, low-cost satellite communications from DigitalXpress to provide thousands of employees at hundreds of locations with ongoing, consistent communications," said Bill Bearry, president of DigitalXpress.

"Oakwood's experience of significant savings is typical of the tremendous benefit the DigitalXpress service provides to all our of customers: high quality, efficient communication services that translate into real savings."

Boeing Commercial Information & Communication Company is a venture partner in DigitalXpress, along with Conus Communications and Ceridian.

The St. Paul, Minn.-based satellite communications service provider also is delivering each week to Boeing sites across the nation a two-day management training program called "Taking Care of Business." More than 20,000 Boeing managers are to take the course through 1998. The training also will be delivered by DigitalXpress to Boeing managers residing outside North America later this year.