Bong setting up system for trading via Internet

Bong setting up system for trading via Internet Bong, Europe's largest envelope manufacturer, has reached an agreement with the Sema Group to develop a system for e-commerce via the Internet. This development will create an important, new sales channel that will further strengthen relations with customers and improve the efficiency of the order handling process. The new system is expected to be ready for use during the second half of the year. "With this e-commerce system, we can increase business volumes and production flows in on envelope and printing businesses. It will also provide useful potential to broaden our contact interfaces to include new market segments," says Lennart Pihl, President of Bong. Lennart Pihl commented: "It is important to make good use of new technology in all aspects of our business. We will be manufacturing more than 15 billion envelopes a year and, by introducing this new e-commerce system, we can offer our customers efficient solutions to their needs. We have customers in many countries and we can now further improve our flexibility in terms of satisfying customer requirements and of creating rational product flows within Bong." The e-commerce system will be a powerful tool that will provide numerous advantageous: * The customer will be able to participate interactively in the order processing system. Envelope design and layout can be decided by the customer, after which the order can be passed electronically through the process. * An efficient, uniform and meaningful interface with the customer will be created. Costs can be reduced, while the customer will gain a clearer insight into his business with Bong. * With this new technique more sophisticated services can be offered in connection with the product offer. * Quotation and order processing efficiency will improve as the customer will have access to continually updated information. * Better opportunities to follow-up open and completed orders and deliveries. * Multi-lingual support will be available and the range of services can be adapted to the market in each country within the framework of the Group's overall e-commerce solution. Following the recently announced proposal for a merger with Wolf- Bauwens/R. Schmidt Group, Bong will be Europe's largest envelope manufacturer. The merged companies will have an annual turnover of 2.5 billion kronor and will manufacture more than 15 billion envelopes a year. The Group will have approximately 1,800 employees. The Sema Group, with whom Bong is developing the new e-commerce system, is one of the world's leading IT service companies. Sema has 18,000 employees throughout the globe, of whom approximately 2,000 are based at thirty locations in Sweden. For further information, please call: Lennart Pihl, President and CEO Telephone: +46 044 20 70 50 or Mobile: 070 - 594 68 66 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/11/20000211BIT00110/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/11/20000211BIT00110/bit0002.pdf