Since 31 July Omnexus (Europe: CH-8804 Au / Wädenswil; www.omnexus.com), the global, neutral eMarketplace for the plastics industry, goes live with full transaction capability for European plastics processors. Beginning in August, Omnexus members will be able to consolidate their total resin procurement process, involving multiple products and multiple suppliers, through a single point of connectivity. They will also have access to technology that allows them to perform search and equivalency comparison of plastics processing machinery across a wide range of parameters such as clamping force, tie-bar spacing, shot size, etc. and the ability to issue a “request for quotatiod” to multiple equipment suppliers. Membership in Omnexus is available at no charge to the worldwide plastics industry.

Moreover, with the activation of this valuable transaction facilitator for processors in Europe, Omnexus will introduce major new service enhancements, such as multi-language options and the ability to transact in any of the world´s recognized currencies, according to ISO standards. Furthermore, through the introduction of cutting edge technology, Omnexus provides for automated negotiation and commerce collaboration, in real-time on a real world´ basis, between processors and suppliers. This enables both parties to jointly establish the business rules governing how specific conditions and circumstances of their relationship should be managed. Examples include the automated ability to handle: an order for which the specified quantity is not available on the desired delivery date, a situation where part of an order can be delivered on a requested date and the balance on a later date, or when an order is placed with less than the agreed lead-time.

And, because processors deal with multiple suppliers, Omnexus provides members with the possibility to arrange partial-order shipments from alternative suppliers when product availability issues prevent the principal supplier from fulfilling the total order. Or, alternatively, to delay delivery until the complete order can be met. The Omnexus transactional system also offers order change capability in respect of product, price, quantity or delivery date. Automated handling of these types of situation and conditions are outside the current capability of Internet sites and is, therefore, a defining feature of Omnexus´ leadership as an eMarketplace.

These features are the first of their kind to be deployed in the plastics industry and they continue to build the value proposition of Omnexus membership for both processors and their suppliers. Furthermore, the system allows the buyer to track his orders and, because he can store past orders on-site, it also allows him to initiate product re-ordering with multiple suppliers faster and more simply than is possible using any alternative purchasing process., including the telephone or Fax machine.

For engineering and design professionals, Omnexus provides the capability to access the regional product catalogues of multiple suppliers, embracing the complete spectrum from commodity plastics to specialty resins. By a simple series of screen-led actions, he can conduct a search according to 14 critical parameters, within a basket of more than 4,500 products, and instantly compare the performance characteristics of selected resins. All information is standardized along ISO standards, allowing for the first-ever capability to compare resins across manufacturers, using the same test conditions.

An additional complement to Omnexus´ eProcurement solutions is the integration of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) functionality into its system. Omnexus is the first eMarketplace in the industry to offer ERP-to-ERP connectivity between buyers and multiple suppliers. “The integration of this suite of advanced features within a single marketplace represents a quantum advance in procurement and supply chain management,” says Peter Dunning, CEO of Omnexus and former executive vice-president of SAP. This powerful functionality is further complemented by Omnexus´ integration into its supplier base which, in effect, gives every Omnexus member direct connection into each one of his suppliers.”

This creates a single, automated supply chain that can handle the full “order to payment” process, with minimal human intervention. Because Omnexus focuses on direct-spend raw materials and equipment, tremendous savings can be achieved in those areas that hold the greatest value opportunity for both processors and suppliers.

Through its unique product database and search facilities, together with its single-screen consolidation of all order input data, and with its collaborative partnership proposition and ERP interface, Omnexus delivers a one-stop buying process that is faster than e-mail, telephone or fax when ordering products from multiple suppliers. Most importantly, Omnexus supports established processor/supplier relationships by bringing speed and simplicity to procurement procedures without necessitating changes in existing account details or contacts. According to Dunning: “Omnexus is continuing to fulfil its value proposition through developments in line with evolving functionality needs expressed by its members. The impending integration of ERP-to-ERP enabling technology is one illustration of how the benefits of seamless B2B eCommerce are being scaled-up.”

“Omnexus made good on its promise of full transaction capability for the US market by October 2000, it has met the 3rd Quarter 2001 deadline for Europe and it´s on schedule to realise online transaction capability, globally, during 2002, with the extension of eProcurement services to processors in Asia,” he says.

Omnexus is the global, neutral eMarketplace focused on delivering products and related services to the plastics industry. Founded and supported by the plastics industry, Omnexus currently consists of a growing list of more than 20 global suppliers, including ATOFINA, BASF AG, Bayer AG, Biesterfeld, Clariant, Dow Chemical, Demag Ergotech, DSM, DuPont, Distrupol, Engel, Entec, Muehlstein, Performance Polymers, PolyOne, Resinex & Ravago, Solvay and Ticona.