IBM and IBS announce global alliance

IBM and IBS announce global alliance with a focus on e-business and supply chain management IBM and IBS today announce a strategic alliance within e-business and supply chain management (SCM). The goal of the alliance is to provide the international market with a world-leading software, hardware and services offering in the wholesale and industrial markets. "This is yet another international break-through for IBS, in a market where e-business is revolutionising commerce and the supply chain", says Staffan Ahlberg, CEO of IBS. "IBM, the world's largest information technology company, will allocate staff and resources worldwide to support the alliance. We expect to considerably increase our competitiveness in this fast-growing market. The agreement will fully impact results during the second half of 2000, and will actively contribute to increased revenue and many new deals." The alliance targets systems based on IBS' ASW software and IBM's servers and Internet technology. Furthermore, it reinforces joint technical development, based on IBM's new development environment, WebSphere, and the IBM Application Framework for e-business. IBS will also cooperate on a global basis with IBM regarding ASP (Application Service Providing), which includes hosting servers and outsourcing. Another interesting field covered by the agreement is customer relations management (CRM). "With the new e-business technology, companies can now cut the average transaction cost down to a fraction of what it is today. In order to do this, they need to have customer-focused software and e-business solutions that are fully integrated with the underlying supply chain and logisitcs systems. It is also very important to have integrated solutions for customer relations and after-sales service. IBS can offer all this, together with worldwide professional services and the full backing of IBM technology, software and services, says Staffan Ahlberg. "The joint IBM/IBS solution will provide customers with new functionality and help them implement one standardised solution across many borders, as the distribution industry evolves into a global marketplace," says Pascal Gaussen, Distribution Segment Executive, IBM Global Midmarket Business, White Plains, New York. "IBS helps us to really increase our customer service and to cut costs in our supply chain," says Michael Keller, Information Systems Manager at Nintendo of Europe, one of IBS' more than 5,000 customers. "IBS' local support on a global scale and their close partnership with IBM are very important for an international company like Nintendo". "Implementation of IBS software has enabled Miele´s U.S. sales subsidiary to reduce inventory levels by 15 per cent and, at the same time, cope with a 30 per cent sales increase while maintaining a high level of customer service. With IBS' fully integrated e-commerce solution, our dealers and Territory Managers have the full power of Internet and Miele products at their fingertips", says Fran Miller, Information Systems Manager at Miele US, one of many Miele companies worldwide that uses IBS systems. The market analysis insitute AMR Research has ranked IBS as the world's largest software provider in the field of Supply Chain Execution. The IBS software product, ASW, is a world-leading, Internet-enabled enterprise software for business-to-business electronic commerce and order fulfilment. It integrates SCM and CRM specifically to meet the needs of global wholesale distributors as well as sales and distribution companies within international manufacturing groups. The solution covers e-business, sales and marketing support, CRM, supply chain management, inventory and warehousing, after-sales service, customer-focused distribution, demand- driven manufacturing, business intelligence and financials. The software is very flexible and easy to implement, and can handle very high transaction volumes. Please also refer to the enclosed joint IBM/IBS press release. IBS AB, with headquarters in Stockholm, is listed at the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The IBS Group is a world-leading international supplier of Internet-integrated business software and professional services to large and mid-sized companies. IBS has a revenue of some SEK 3bn, and some 2,400 employees and 5,000 customers in more than 40 countries. For more information regarding the alliance, please contact: Staffan Ahlberg, CEO, IBS AB Magnus Wastenson, VP Marketing, IBS AB Tel+46 8 627 24 20 or +46 70 Tel: +46 8 627 25 15 or +46 70 627 25 15 627 24 20 Email: staffan.ahlberg@ibs.se Email: magnus.wastenson@ibs.se Marie Louise Cassel, Press Pascal Gaussen, Global Distribution Segment officer, IBS AB Tel: +46 8 627 24 29 or +46 Executive, IBM Global Midmarket Business 70 627 24 29 Email: marie- Tel: +1 912-642 6045 louise.cassel@ibs.se Email: pascal@us.ibm.com Enclosure IBM and IBS Enter into Strategic Alliance Targeting Growing Global Midmarket Wholesale and Industrial Segment WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, and STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, June 8, 2000 -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and IBS (International Business Systems, SSE:IBS), one of the world's top-rated developers of supply chain execution solutions, today announced a strategic alliance to provide e-business solutions, including comprehensive supply chain management (SCM) solutions. In this alliance, IBM and IBS will provide integrated software, hardware and services offerings to the global midmarket wholesale and industrial segments estimated to grow from $2 billion in 2000 to nearly $5 billion in 2003. IBM will allocate staff globally to support marketing and sales of the joint IBS and IBM solutions. In turn, IBS will use IBM's AS/400* and Netfinity* servers as its preferred platforms. The agreement also includes reinforced technical development between both companies, based on IBM's WebSphere* and IBM's Application Framework for e-business, a technology roadmap for development with open industry standards. In addition, IBM and IBS have agreed to evaluate a cooperation regarding Application Service Providing (ASP), including hosting servers, Internet communications and outsourcing. "The real business value for the customer is that they can get a solution that will make them competitive in today's market. It will provide them with new functionality and help them implement one standardized solution across many borders, as the distribution industry evolves into a global marketplace," said Pascal Gaussen, Global Distribution Segment Executive, IBM Global Midmarket Business, based in White Plains, New York. "This strategic alliance highlights our strong position in the fast- growing market for e-business solutions, particularly supply chain management solutions, said Staffan Ahlberg, CEO of the IBS Group. "e- business cuts the average transaction cost down to a fraction of what it is today. Companies need to have customer-focused software with fully integrated front office and back office logistics. IBS can offer all this together with worldwide professional services and the full backing of IBM technology, software and services." IBS's Internet-enabled enterprise software for B2B, e-business management and order fulfillment integrates SCM and CRM capabilities. Designed to meet the needs of global wholesale distributors and sales and distribution companies within international manufacturing groups, IBS' ASW** software solution includes sales and marketing, CRM, supply chain management, inventory and warehousing, after sales service, customer focused distribution, demand driven manufacturing, business intelligence and financials capabilities. "IBS helps us to really increase our customer service and to cut costs in our supply chain," said Michael Keller, Information Systems Manager at Nintendo of Europe, one of IBS's more than 5,000 customers. "IBS' local support on a global scale and the close partnership with IBM are very important for an international company like Nintendo." "Implementation of IBS Software has enabled Miele's US Sales subsidiary to reduce inventory levels by 15 percent and, at the same time, cope with a 30 percent sales increase while maintaining a high level of customer service. With IBS' fully integrated e-commerce solution, our dealers and Territory Managers have the full power of the Internet, and Miele products at their fingertips," says Fran Miler, Information Systems Manager at Miele US, one of IBS many customer within the sales organization of the international white goods manufacturer Miele. The IBS alliance is part of a developer initiative in which IBM forms strategic relationships with leading independent software vendors (ISVs). Under the initiative, ISVs gain access to new customers and revenue opportunities through IBM's extensive marketing, sales, and solutions resources. At the same time, ISVs commit to lead with IBM's middleware, server platforms and services. About IBS IBS AB, with headquarters in Stockholm, is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The IBS Group is a world-leading international supplier of Web- enabled enterprise business software and professional services for large and mid-sized companies. IBS has 2,400 employees and more than 5,000 customers in 40 countries. For more information see www.ibsab.com. About IBM PartnerWorld for Developers Software developer partners receive support through IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers (PWD) - a worldwide program designed to help software developers reach broader markets, lower their costs of doing business, and take their products to market faster. Developers may contact IBM via: PWD at http://www.developer.ibm.com or 1.800.627.8363 in North America (NA), 1.770.835.9902 outside North America. ### *Designates a trademark of the IBM Corporation. **Designates a trademark of their respective owners. Mike Azzi Public Relations Specialist IBM Software 212.745.6508 FAX 745.2034 azzi@us.ibm.com Pager: 1.800.759.8888 PIN#: 1638624 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/06/08/20000608BIT00680/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/06/08/20000608BIT00680/bit0002.pdf