ESPRIT #22056: the funStep project - Integration of product and business data for furniture industry

funStep is a 30 months European project funded by the ESPRIT program. Started in September 1996 and registered with number 22056, funStep aims to develop a STEP-based environment for the manufacturer-customer integration in furniture industry. Although devoted for this industrial sector, the project results can be used as a reference for other sectors organised in a similar mode, like building and construction, where a proper integration of the product and business data is a demand. This paper gives a general outlook of the project background, objectives and results, and the initiatives already raised in order to give continuation of the developed work.