Grainger's TotalMRO.com gives buyers access to other suppliers
By Staff -- Purchasing, 5/18/2000 2:00:00 AM
A new e-commerce initiative from W.W. Grainger, TotalMRO.com, allows buyers and MRO distributors to interact and transact business within one system, helping to eliminate costs of maintaining "buy side" and "sell side" catalogs.
With TotalMRO.com, buyers have real-time access to easily searchable product information, contract pricing and availability for millions of MRO products and services through major MRO distributors. They can access the site through business-to-business e-commerce platforms including market exchanges, portals and other marketplaces. Access initially is available through Ariba.
"E-commerce requires rethinking existing business models and a willingness to reinvent yourself," says Richard L. Keyser, chairman & CEO, Grainger. "TotalMRO is a bold step in redefining the MRO industry."
Initial participating MRO distributors include Briggs-Weaver, Cameron & Barkley, Lab Safety Supply, Manufacturers Equipment and Supply Co., MetersandInstruments.com (a wholly owned subsidiary of Transmation Inc.), Motion Industries, New Pig Corp., Newark Electronics and Transcat (a division of Transmation) as well as Grainger.
"Motion is delighted to be one of the pioneer participants in TotalMRO. com," says Bill Stevens, president, Motion Industries. "It will ensure that we are accessible to all customers leveraging e-commerce technology."
The first company on the Ariba platform to use TotalMRO.com is The Earthgrains Co., whose facilities began purchasing products on TotalMRO. com in late March. "We believe TotalMRO.com will help us realize a significantly higher return on our e-procurement investment by providing our requisitioners one-stop access to products needed to maintain our facilities," says Larry Bergner, vice president, technology and purchasing. "We will request that all our MRO distributors participate in TotalMRO.com because of the value it brings our business." Earthgrains spends approximately $30 million on MRO goods and services annually.
Technology partners include BEA Systems, Requisite Technology and webMethods.
TotalMRO.com's technology infrastructure uses BEA WebLogic commerce server, an enterprise Java Bean platform from BEA systems. webMethods's business-to-business integration system is used to provide seamless integration between participating partners. Content management services and technology through the BugsEye finding engine is provided through a relationship with Requisite Technology. Use of these technologies with TotalMRO.com's software architecture allows the business to support large volumes of transactions, as well as introduce enhanced functionality and features.
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