Internet Commerce Collaboration Brings Buyers and Sellers Together
CHICAGO and SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger
(NYSE: GWW), the leading provider of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO)
supplies in North America, and Ariba, Inc., a leading provider of intranet-
and Internet-based business-to-business e-commerce solutions for operating
resources, have formed an alliance to deliver expanded Internet commerce
access to buyers and suppliers worldwide. As part of the alliance, Grainger
has joined the Ariba Supplier Link(TM) (ASL) program and will make its product
information available to Ariba customers via Ariba.com Network(TM).
Grainger and Ariba also announced that the two companies will collaborate
on the continued development of Commerce XML (cXML), an emerging standard for
exchanging supplier content and transaction information between buyers and
suppliers over the Internet. Grainger will also use cXML to integrate its
supplier content and make it available via Ariba.com Network, Ariba's
standards-based Internet service that provides supplier content and routes
transactions between buyers and suppliers. This integration will provide the
opportunity for joint Grainger and Ariba clients to gain cost savings,
efficiency, and convenience in acquiring and managing operating resources.
Through the collaboration of the two companies, Ariba's mid-sized and
Global 2000 clients will have access to Grainger's leading product information
and fulfillment capabilities as well as to Grainger Consulting Services, which
provides world-class indirect materials management services. In addition,
through integration with Ariba.com Network, Grainger will gain access to
Ariba's major national accounts. Customers already shared by both Grainger
and Ariba will benefit from the ability to further streamline their
procurement processes.
"The alliance of Ariba and Grainger is key to the success of a solid,
technologically advanced MRO procurement strategy," said Larry G. Bergner,
vice president of technology and purchasing of The Earthgrains Company, a
client of both Grainger Consulting Services and Ariba. "We're excited about
tapping into this joint bank of expertise."
"Access is everything in the rapidly growing Internet commerce
environment. Grainger is delighted to combine our leadership in MRO products
and product information with Ariba's leading business-to-business Internet
commerce solution to expand access to the Grainger.com electronic catalog,"
said Don Bielinski, group president for Grainger.
"Our alliance with Ariba is evidence of Grainger's continuing commitment
to Internet commerce and related technology," added Richard Keyser, chairman
and CEO of Grainger.
This commitment to the Internet includes OrderZone.com, Grainger's new
multi-supplier site, announced in February and currently in pilot. On
schedule to launch May 15, OrderZone.com streamlines customers' purchasing
processes across multiple suppliers.
"Grainger is unmatched in its field," said Keith Krach, president and CEO
at Ariba. "By making the company's highly robust product information and
fulfillment available through Ariba.com Network, we will jointly provide the
opportunity for our clients to reap significant business benefits. In
addition, Grainger's demonstrated leadership in service and solid commitment
to Internet commerce will help us tailor our solutions to meet growing demands
from electronic procurement suppliers and buyers."
ABOUT ARIBA, INC.
Ariba(R) is a leading provider of intranet- and Internet-based
business-to-business electronic commerce solutions for operating resources.
The company's products efficiently connect requestors to approvers and buyers
to suppliers to deliver an automated solution for improving the acquisition
and management of operating resources, the goods and services required to
operate a company. Ariba Operating Resource Management System(TM)
(Ariba ORMS(TM)) enables organizations to automate the procurement cycle
within their intranets, lowering the costs of acquiring and managing operating
resources. Ariba.com Network(TM), a global business-to-business electronic
commerce network for operating resources, enables buyers and suppliers to
automate transactions on the Internet. Together, Ariba ORMS and Ariba.com
Network provide a business-to-business electronic commerce solution for
operating resources that benefits both buyers and suppliers. Ariba can be
contacted at 408-543-3800 or at http://www.ariba.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 at http://www.grainger.com.
Ariba is a registered trademark of Ariba, Inc. Ariba Operating Resource
Management System, Ariba ORMS, Ariba.com Network, and Walk-Up User Interface
are trademarks of Ariba, Inc. All other products or company names mentioned
are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.grainger.com /Web
site: http://www.ariba.com
CONTACT:
Eric Kuhn, 312-856-8805, for Grainger; or
Michele McMahon-Cost, 415-512-0500 ext. 283, for Ariba, Inc.
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