WWRE Demonstrates B2B Technology Platform

ALEXANDRIA, VA. (Dec. 15, 2000) -- Top executives from the WorldWide Retail Exchange (WWRE), the leading Internet-based business-to-business (B2B) exchange, met with more than 350 suppliers and retail executives from around the world at the WWRE Asian Supplier Summit in Tokyo, Japan, last week.

Tom Tsuruta, executive vice president and general manager at Jusco and a member of the WWRE¹s executive committee said that the third summit "was an absolute and complete success in terms of a new level of recognition it created for the Asian media, suppliers, and potential future members in the region."

The Tokyo meeting was the WWRE¹s third supplier-focused summit, and the meeting is one of many interactions with suppliers and the retail community that are expected to continue to take shape in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. At last week¹s summit, the WWRE provided suppliers with a closer look at the B2B technology that will streamline the traditional retail supply chain in the near future.

Linda Nordgren, director of supply chain management and B2B commerce at Safeway Inc. demonstrated the new B2B platform technology. Ms. Nordgren said that "Internet-based collaboration will benefit the consumer on a large scale by improving performance and efficiency."

After the general session meeting, suppliers attended industry group sessions. "Suppliers are quite enthusiastic," said Barry Knichel, divisional director at Tesco. "Jusco¹s leadership at the summit has positively impacted supplier support and illustrates massive opportunity for Japanese retailing."

The summit offered great exposure to new suppliers, according to David Ching, senior vice president & chief information officer at Safeway Inc. "The WWRE is an independent third party e-marketplace that allows participants to share the cost of building and operating the technology infrastructure," he continued.

The Exchange aims "to make a difference by making a real transformation in all retailer-supplier interactions," said Colin Dyer, WWRE chief executive officer. "By using the Internet in new ways, the relationship between retailers and suppliers is greatly enhanced, and ultimately consumers will benefit from low costs and increased efficiency," he added.

The WWRE (www.worldwideretailexchange.org) is an Internet-based B2B retail e-marketplace designed to facilitate and simplify trading between retailers and more than 100,000 suppliers, partners and distributors. Consisting of leading retailers from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, the WWRE is open to all suppliers and retailers who wish to use it. Currently, the Exchange represents 53 retail members with combined sales of U.S. $722 billion or Euro 825 billion.

WWRE Members:

• Albertson's (U.S., NYSE: ABS)
• Auchan (France)
• Best Buy (U.S., NYSE: BBY)
• The Boots Company (U.K., LSE: BOOT.L)
• C & A Europe (Belgium)
• Casino (France, Parisbourse: 12558)
• Cora (France, PSE: 06176)
• CVS/pharmacy (U.S., NYSE: CVS)
• Coop Italia (Italy)
• Coop Schweiz (Switzerland)
• Dansk Supermarked (Denmark)
• Dairy Farm International (Hong Kong, SES: DAIR.SI/Reuters, DAIRYNEW SP/Bloomberg)
• Delhaize Group (Belgium, BSE: DEL)
• Dixons Group plc (U.K., LSE: DXNS)
• Edeka (Germany)
• El Corte Ingles (Spain)
• Galeries Lafayette (France, Parisborse: 12124)
• Gap Inc. (U.S., NYSE: GPS)
• Giant Eagle
• H.E. Butt Grocery Company (U.S.)
• JCPenney (U.S., NYSE: JCP)
• John Lewis (U.K., JLH)
• Jusco (Japan, TSE: 8267)
• Kesko (Finland, HEX: KES)
• Kingfisher (U.K., LSE: KGF)
• Kmart Corporation (U.S., NYSE: KM)
• Laurus (The Netherlands)
• Longs Drugs (U.S., NYSE: LDG)
• Makro Asia (Bangkok)
• Marks & Spencer (U.K., LSE: MKS)
• Meijer, Inc. (U.S.)
• Otto Versand (Germany)
• Publix Super Markets (U.S.)
• RadioShack Corporation (U.S., NYSE: RSH)
• REWE (Germany)
• Rite Aid Corporation (U.S., NYSE, PSE: RAD)
• Royal Ahold (The Netherlands, NYSE: AHO)
• Safeway Inc. (U.S., NYSE: SWY)
• Safeway plc (U.K., LSE: SFW.L)
• Schlecker (Germany)
• Seibu Department Stores Ltd. (Japan)
• ShopKo Stores, Inc. (U.S., NYSE: SKO)
• Sobeys Inc. (Canada, TSE: SBY)
• SUPERVALU INC. (U.S., NYSE: SVU)
• Target Corporation (U.S., NYSE: TGT)
• Tengelmann Group (Germany)
• Tesco (U.K., LSE: TSC.OL)
• Toys R Us (U.S., NYSE: TOY)
• Walgreen Company (U.S., NYSE: WAG)
• Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. (U.S.)
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (U.S., NYSE: WIN)
• Woolworths (Australia, ASX: WOW)
• Wooltru Ltd. (South Africa, JSE: WLO).

 

.::Back to Top::.