Biz2Biz site blitz includes plastics
IRVINE, CALIF. — Internet company Biz2Biz.com Inc. has opened a Web site to help processors buy plastics online.
Biz2BizPlastics.com also allows suppliers to monitor electronic sales and manage purchasing invoices. Resin companies have the option to build an electronic catalog of products and services for the portal.
The site is one of 30 industry-specific marketplaces launched Feb. 1 by Irvine-based Biz2Biz. Other new Web portals, accessed through www.biz2biz.com, focus on the automotive, design, electronics, machinery, marine and packaging markets.
The global purchasing network allows buyers to source products and materials from more than 30,000 businesses. The company plans to open as many as 150 portals, Jeffrey Richards, Biz2Biz president and chief operating officer, said in a news release.
The company manages 82 industry-linked marketplaces.
Omnexus teams up with BigMachines
ATLANTA — Omnexus Corp. has formed an alliance with BigMachines Inc. to offer equipment manufacturers the ability to reach processors over the Omnexus site.
Foster City, Calif.-based BigMachines provides software to help processors select and configure industry machinery. The company also automates the Web sales process.
Omnexus, with U.S. operations in Atlanta, will offer processors the ability to search for equipment from a variety of suppliers using BigMachines' search engine. Members can ask for quotes and make machinery comparisons in such areas as clamping force, tie-bar space and shot size.
In the future, the companies plan to offer computer-aided-design drawings and bill of material generation through an equipment serial-number search.
Omnexus, based in Zurich, Switzerland, currently offers online material sourcing and purchasing in North America. The company, which starts European operations in March, plans to add more equipment- and tool-buying resources to its site.
DuPont, P&G invest in Packtion Web site
CHICAGO — DuPont and Procter & Gamble Co. have agreed to invest in Packtion Corp., a Web site for the packaging industry.
Packtion, based in Chicago, launched operations in January. The company was founded in April with investments from Silgan Holdings Inc., Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Private Equity and consulting firm DiamondCluster International Inc.
The site provides design, manufacturing and procurement functions for buyers and sellers of packaging.
"Through our combined efforts, we will offer an array of online solutions that enhance packaging innovation and speed to market," Edward Lapekas, Packtion executive chairman, said in a news release.
FreeMarkets to buy online tool producer
PITTSBURGH — FreeMarkets Inc. signed an agreement Feb. 8 to buy software provider Adexa Inc., a producer of online tools for supply-chain collaboration.
The agreement will help members of Pittsburgh-based FreeMarkets manage direct-materials usage with its suppliers. FreeMarkets now offers private trading and plastic parts and materials auctions.
The publicly held company will issue 17.25 million shares and options in exchange for the outstanding shares of Adexa, based in Los Angeles. The aggregate purchase is for about $340 million, based on FreeMarkets' current stock trading price. The transaction is scheduled to close during the second quarter.
Adexa has licensed its supply-chain-management software to such companies as Lucent Technologies Inc., Framatome Connectors International and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd.
FreeMarkets also announced it has opened an office in Hong Kong. The company has 19 offices in North America, Europe and Asia.
Web trade exchanges form marketing pact
HOUSTON — Two Houston-based Web trade exchanges, ChemCross.com and CheMatch.com Inc., have formed an alliance to market products to each others' member companies.
The deal will help the dot-com companies bridge plastics and chemicals purchases in Asia, North America and Europe. ChemCross represents more than 60 plastics and chemical companies in Asia, while CheMatch offers an online materials exchange that primarily serves the United States and Europe.
ChemCross will market CheMatch postings to its more than 2,000 corporate members. CheMatch will have access to ChemCross' information resources and allow its more than 700 member companies to view ChemCross postings.
"Asia represents almost 30 percent of all petrochemicals produced in the world, and we recognize the importance of this region to the global marketplace and the success of CheMatch," Carl McCutcheon, CheMatch chairman and chief executive officer, said in a news release.
