The softwarehouse ARDIS I.S. n.v. is specialised in optimization software for cutting rectangular shapes. In collaboration with the university of Ghent in 1983 our managing director Arnout De Lille started to explore ways of how to optimize the cutting of rectangular shapes for industrial purposes. The result of this research are today the software packages Starter and Basic Cutting, Easy Optimizer and Cutting Optimizer, universal systems that run on PC, in the office or on a machine controller. The optimizer software computes the cutting patterns of lengths, panels and coils. The first Cutting Optimizer was introduced in 1986 on the market in Belgium. Since then the ARDIS products have been developing with one clear goal: keep up with the needs of customers and make the products even more beneficial as technology and production methods change. The global export activities started only in 1991 with highly progressing results. The software also comes to the end-users as an OEM-system, the software is integrated in other software packages such as 3-D CAD systems, calculation and planning software etc.