CN selects BCE Emergis and Ariba for B2B eCommerce platform and services
Montreal, Quebec-- March 2, 2000
CN is first railroad to launch major B2B initiative
Canadian National (TSE: CNR / NYSE: CNI), Ariba, Inc., and BCE
Emergis today announced that BCE Emergis and Ariba will provide
CN with a fully managed business-to-business eCommerce solution.
The integrated solution will be delivered through the BCE Emergis
marketplace using the Ariba( B2B eCommerce platform to create
economies of scale and supply chain efficiencies for CN and its
suppliers via the Internet.
"Working with BCE Emergis and Ariba, CN will participate in the
transformation of distribution channels and trade methods in the
railroad industry through the use of the Internet," said Sameh
Fahmy, assistant vice president, Supply Management for CN. "After
careful evaluation of the leading B2B and enterprise software
vendors, we concluded that the track record of successful
execution and the extensive eCommerce expertise of both BCE
Emergis and Ariba would provide significant benefits and a sound
B2B infrastructure for CN and its suppliers."
The integrated B2B e-procurement solution will streamline
commerce between CN and its suppliers through a complete set of
eCommerce services, including online ordering, processing,
dynamic pricing, auctioning and electronic payments.
"BCE Emergis continues to gain momentum in B2B with the addition
of CN," said Brian Edwards, President and Chief Executive
Officer, BCE Emergis. "We are committed to working with Ariba to
help CN and its suppliers realize their goals for significant
efficiencies and competitive advantage."
"Our partnership with BCE Emergis continues to rapidly extend the
benefits of the Ariba platform to leading North American
companies like CN," said Kevin Dwyer, vice president of Ariba
Canada. "This is particularly strategic for Ariba and Emergis
because CN is the first railroad to launch a major B2B
initiative, and through their use of BCE Emergis e-commerce
services for supplier enablement, we expect that CN will generate
a significant network effect of critical mass for the railroad
industry."
The BCE Emergis marketplace using the Ariba B2B eCommerce
platform helps companies realize greater economies of scale and
commerce process efficiencies, providing companies with a B2B
eCommerce infrastructure that electronically approves and
aggregates corporate purchasing from each employee desktop and
directs spending to preferred suppliers.
BCE Emergis eCommerce services are Internet-hosted services that
will work with the Ariba B2B procurement solution to provide
companies and their suppliers with a common, open trading
environment on the Internet.
Phase one implementation of the joint Ariba - BCE Emergis B2B
procurement system at CN is expected to be completed in the
second quarter of 2000 and will be integrated with the company's
SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, extending this
client-server solution to the Internet.
Canadian National Railway Company spans Canada and mid-America,
from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico,
serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal, Halifax,
New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala, and the key cities of Toronto,
Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, St. Louis, and Jackson,
Miss., with connections to all points in North America. CN
employs 23,500 people across its network, and had generated 1999
revenue of $5.2 billion.
Ariba, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., is the leading provider of
B2B services and solutions to leading companies around the world,
including more than 15 of the Fortune 100. The company delivers
an open, end-to-end, best-of-breed platform of interoperable
solutions to build B2B maketplaces, manage corporate purchasing,
and electronically enable suppliers on the Internet. Together,
Ariba's Internet services and software integrate commerce
processes of B2B marketplaces, buyers, suppliers and commerce
service providers to create global economies of scale for all
participants. Ariba can be contacted at www.ariba.com.
BCE Emergis delivers network-centric e-commerce business
solutions that improve customer processes through the exchange of
secure transactions. Combining Internet-commerce services,
network infrastructure, security services, and payment solutions
through industry vertical applications, BCE Emergis offers a full
suite of core technologies that are the essential building blocks
for electronic commerce. BCE Emergis, is among the top electronic
commerce providers in North America and is listed on the TSE 100
Composite Index. For more information, please refer to
www.emergis.com.
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements
that reflect the current views and/or expectations of BCE Emergis
with respect to its performance, business and future events. Such
statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. Actual results and events may vary significantly.
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For more information:
Anne Belliveau
General Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
BCE Emergis
(514) 868-2232
Email: abelliveau@emergis.com
Jean-Daniel Hamelin
System Director, Communications
Canadian National Railway
(514) 399-6630
Email: hameli02@cn.ca |
