IBS launches major e-business venture

IBS launches major e-business venture IBS, a world leading supplier of business software, is launching a new company, IBS NetCommerce. IBS has thereby focused its competence for strategy, graphical design, e-business systems, Internet communication and outsourcing. The company is planning to recruit some 100 new employees. - We have seen how many Internet consultants find it difficult to maintain the technical and business competence required to integrate e-business solutions with existing business systems, says Staffan Ahlberg, CEO of IBS: - IBS' strategy is focused on the next development phase, handling the very large volumes of business-to-business transactions on the Internet. We are currently building up top-competence units within the field of e- business, on a broad international basis. The first phase of Internet development has been dominated by consumer- oriented information and commerce within banking, insurance, travel, books, consumer electronics and clothing. It is primarily within these major consumer areas that today's Internet consultants find their customers and develop tailor-made systems with a varying level of integration with existing business software. The next Internet development phase, which has a much greater potential than the first, is emerging in the field of business-to-business. Here, it is not just a question of showing products and taking orders, but also involving the whole flow of transactions between companies and their customers and business partners. This includes purchasing and replenishment, logistics, sales, delivery planning, after market service and customer relations. Today, many of these transactions are neither integrated nor handled electronically. Thus, the IT systems of most companies are still unable to communicate without manual intervention. - Here our customers have an enormous potential to improve their competitiveness. The concept can be described as a cross-fertilisation between e-business and supply chain management, says Magnus Wastenson, VP Marketing. IBS NetCommerce will co-operate with the current IBS units within the area of business systems. Today, a significant number of our staff of 2,300 already work with various Internet-related projects, notably installations of IBS' web-integrated e-business solutions in its business software, ASW, but also with solutions based on Lotus Domino, IBM net.commerce and Microsoft. IBS has some 4,800 customers in 40 countries, customers who now want to integrate their sales and logistics processes through e-business and digital communication. Present and potential customers, mainly within the business-to-business market, are demanding secure and efficient e-business solutions which are directly integrated with their business software. For further information: Staffan Ahlberg CEO of IBS AB +46-8-6272420 +46-70-6272420 MagnusWastenson VP Marketing +46-8-6272515 +46-70-6272515 IBS AB, with headquarters in Stockholm, is listed at the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The IBS Group is a world leading international supplier of business systems and professional services. The Group has a revenue of some SEK 3bn, 2,300 employees and 4,800 customers in 40 countries. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/01/13/20000113BIT00310/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/01/13/20000113BIT00310/bit0002.pdf