TotalMRO.com Brings Together Major Distributors and Key Technology Partners to
Revolutionize Internet-Based Procurement of MRO Products and Services
CHICAGO, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW) today announced the
launch of the first ever totally open one-stop Internet-based maintenance,
repair, and operating (MRO) supplies solution -- TotalMRO.com . For the first
time, customers will have real-time access to easily searchable product
information, contract pricing, and availability for millions of MRO products
and services available through major MRO distributors. TotalMRO.com's first
customer went live on March 31.
Customers will access TotalMRO.com through B2B eCommerce platforms
including market exchanges, portals, and other marketplaces. TotalMRO.com
will allow these various solutions to rapidly expand by providing a turnkey
solution for MRO products and services.
Key technology partners include BEA Systems, Requisite Technology, and
webMethods. Initial participating MRO distributors include Briggs-Weaver,
Cameron and Barkley Company, Lab Safety Supply, Manufacturers Equipment and
Supply Company, MetersandInstruments.com (a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Transmation, Inc.), Motion Industries, New Pig Corporation, Newark
Electronics, and Transcat (a division of Transmation, Inc.), as well as
Grainger. Names of additional MRO distributors will be announced in the near
future.
"eCommerce requires rethinking existing business models and a willingness
to reinvent yourself. TotalMRO.com is a bold step in redefining the future of
the MRO industry," said Grainger Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard
L. Keyser.
Customer access to TotalMRO.com will initially be available through Ariba
(Nasdaq: ARBA), a leading B2B platform provider. "Grainger's 73-year history
of servicing customer's MRO needs has them well positioned to develop and
offer this unprecedented solution," said Dave Rome, vice president, Strategic
Alliances, Ariba. "Ariba customers benefit by having a one-stop location for
MRO supplies available through the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform."
The first company on the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform to use TotalMRO.com
is The Earthgrains Company, whose facilities began purchasing products on
TotalMRO.com in late March. "We believe TotalMRO.com will help us realize a
significantly higher return on our eProcurement investment by providing our
requisitioners one-stop access to products needed to maintain our facilities
-- products that represent in the range of a $30 million annual expenditure.
We will request that all of our MRO distributors participate in TotalMRO.com
because of the value it brings to our business," said Larry Bergner, vice
president, Technology and Purchasing at Earthgrains.
TotalMRO.com's technology infrastructure leverages BEA WebLogic Commerce
Server, an award winning Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) platform from BEA Systems.
webMethods' business-to-business integration (B2Bi) solution is used to
provide seamless integration between participating partners. Content
management services and world-class search technology through the BugsEye(TM)
finding engine is being provided through a strategic relationship with
Requisite Technology. The use of these leading technologies along with
TotalMRO.com's software architecture will allow the business to support large
volumes of transactions, as well as quickly introduce enhanced functionality
and features. "webMethods is pleased to be a part of this ground-breaking
initiative that promises to revolutionize the MRO industry," said Phillip
Merrick, president and chief executive officer of webMethods, Inc.
TotalMRO.com organizes the highly fragmented and inefficient MRO supply
chain -- allowing buyers and sellers to interact and transact business within
one solution. TotalMRO.com will be a universal, "transactable" catalog,
eliminating the high cost of maintaining "buy side" and "sell side" catalogs.
"Motion is delighted to be one of the pioneer participants in
TotalMRO.com. It will ensure that we are accessible to all customers
leveraging eCommerce technology," said Bill Stevens, president of Motion
Industries.
Leah Knight of GartnerGroup expects the volume of nonfinancial goods and
services sold through B2B eCommerce to reach $7.29 trillion worldwide in 2004.
According to her January 31, 2000 article entitled, "Triggering the B2B
Electronic Commerce Explosion", e-market makers will grab 37 percent, or
$2.71 trillion, of these sales, which amounts to 2.6 percent of total
worldwide sales transactions.
"The TotalMRO.com team led by President Elizabeth G. Olig, has made
incredible accomplishments in an extraordinary timeframe. We are committed to
continuing to scale the business and offering eCommerce platform providers and
their customers a unique and differentiated experience," said Grainger Group
President Don Bielinski.
W.W. Grainger, Inc., (GWW) with 1999 sales of $4.5 billion, is the leading
North American provider of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies,
services, and related information to businesses and institutions. Grainger
shares are traded on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges. For more
information about Grainger, visit http://www.grainger.com .
SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.grainger.com
http://www.totalmro.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/953850.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 953850
CONTACT:
Janis K. Tratnik of Grainger, 847-535-4339;
or Jamie Roth of Fleishman-Hillard, 312-751-3521, for Grainger
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