The plastics industry´s joint trading platform Omnexus ( www.omnexus.com) is moving into full swing. At the end of November 2000, the first US transaction took place, when a customer ordered 36 t of polystyrene from Dow Plastics for USD 40,000. Starting this quarter, Omnexus will begin taking European orders. The number of participants in the online scheme meanwhile is growing. The German Biesterfeld group (D-20095 Hamburg; www.biesterfeld.com) recently took an equity stake, followed by the Ravago group (B-2370 Arendonk) and its subsidiary Resinex ( www.resinex.net).

Both Biesterfeld and Rexinex are listed on the platform as “leadership suppliers”. Ravago is engaged in distribution, compounding and recycling. Resinex is, among other things, an exclusive distributor of Dow´s plastics. Polymer producers DSM, PolyOne and Solvay, as well as the speciality chemicals producer and masterbatch giant Clariant have taken stakes in Omnexus and are participating in the platform.

Omnexus meanwhile has signed a strategic alliance with Conferos ( www.conferos.com), formerly a trading platform known as “BuyPlastics.com”. This platform has changed its approach and has refocused on online support of product development in plastics. Its proprietary software programmes “ProductSync” and “NaviSense” can now be used by Omnexus customers. In Asia, Omnexus has agreed to cooperate with the ChemCross portal ( www.chemcross.com). This is being used by 60 chemical and plastics companies and is regarded as a potential market leader among Asian internet platforms for the chemical and plastics industries.