Direct Electronic Catalog Access Allows Seamless Interface Between
Buyers and Suppliers
WALLDORF, Germany and CHICAGO, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Extending their
commitment to digital commerce, Grainger (NYSE: GWW), the leading provider of
maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies in North America, and SAP AG
(NYSE: SAP), the world's leading provider of enterprise business solutions,
have announced they have formed an alliance. Grainger is integrating its
online catalog into the SAP(TM) Business-to-Business Procurement(TM) solution
(SAP B2B(TM)) providing direct access to Grainger products and product
information through one standardized Internet procurement solution. This
access allows users seamless electronic commerce transactions between both
supplier and buyer Internet sites for reduced overall purchasing costs and
improved efficiency.
"We're delighted to be working with the leading provider in enterprise
business solutions. The SAP B2B Procurement solution is precisely what
Grainger's Internet Commerce initiatives are designed to support," said
Don Bielinski, group president for Grainger.
"Our alliance with SAP reinforces our commitment to Internet Commerce,"
added Richard Keyser, chairman and CEO of Grainger.
The SAP B2B Procurement solution provides a complete solution from
requisition to payment for simplifying purchase of goods. The solution
empowers end-users to initiate the requisition process directly from their
desktops so that they can quickly and easily acquire the materials they need.
The purchasing department is then available to focus on strategic purchasing
decisions while maintaining centralized control for overall efficiency gains.
"By partnering with a leading provider of maintenance, repair, and
operating (MRO) supplies like Grainger, we are proud to provide an end-to-end,
open, strategic solution for electronic commerce and procurement," said
Dr. Hasso Plattner, co-chairman and co-founder of SAP AG. "Grainger's
powerful online catalog of MRO information adds another dimension to the SAP
B2B Procurement solution for seamless access to the information customers need
to make informed purchasing decisions."
The alliance with SAP represents greatly expanded customer access to
Grainger.com, which has been recognized as one of the top ten
business-to-business Web sites two years in a row by Advertising Age.
About SAP
SAP, the world's largest enterprise software company, provides companies
of all sizes with business solutions that deliver A Better Return on
Information(SM). SAP products and services integrate an organization from
financials and human resources to manufacturing and sales and distribution.
This integration enables companies to optimize supply chains, strengthen
customer relationships, and make more accurate management decisions. Founded
in 1972, SAP today leverages a global network of people, processes and
products to assure customer success. SAP is listed on several exchanges
including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol "SAP." For
more information, visit us at http://www.sap.com.
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 1998 sales of $4.3 billion, is the leading North
American provider of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies,
services, and related information to businesses and institutions. GWW shares
are traded on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges. For more information,
visit Grainger on-line at http://www.grainger.com.
SAP, R/3, SAP Business-to-Business, SAP B2B, A Better Return on
Information and all other SAP product or service names referenced herein are
trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of SAP AG. All other
product or service names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.grainger.com
CONTACT:
Eric Kuhn, of Porter Novelli for W.W.
Grainger, Inc., 312-856-8805, or e-mail, ekuhn@porternovelli.com;
or Gerhard Rickes of SAP AG, 49-6227-7-61138, or e-mail,
gerhard.rickes@sap-ag.de; or Michelle Tolod of SAP America, Inc.,
781-768-6815, or e-mail, michelle.tolod@sap-ag.de; or Dagmar
Glier, or Waggener Edstrom, 503-245-0905, or e-mail,
dagmarg@wagged.com, all of SAP
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