Trade-Ranger Members Solvay and Kempchen Complete ERP-to-ERP Integration, Translating CIDX to...

Business/Energy Editors

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 22, 2002

Trade-Ranger, the global e-procurement hub launched by several of the world's largest oil and petrochemicals companies, announced today that founding member Solvay and German supplier Kempchen & Co. GmbH have

completed full ERP-to-ERP integration. The integration is the first to be completed through the Trade-Ranger hub that links a buyer using Chemical Industry Data Exchange-compliant (CIDX) standards with a supplier using xCBL. It also marks the first successful deployment of the Trade-Ranger Partner Server, which Kempchen used to achieve full connectivity.

Version 1 of Trade-Ranger's CIDX gateway, which was released in April 2002, allows data mapping, transformation and validation between various XML standards. The CIDX gateway is the result of intensive ongoing research and development efforts that focus on Trade-Ranger's foundation hub; Trade-Ranger expects to expand the gateway's functionality with two version upgrades in 2003.

"The Solvay-Kempchen integration marks a technology milestone for XML-to-XML-based communication over the open Internet and demonstrates Trade-Ranger's leadership in the development of transaction standards for the energy and petrochemicals industry," said Jeff Helms, acting CEO of Trade-Ranger.

Kempchen, based in Oberhausen, Germany, is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of gaskets, packings and expansion joints. Kempchen's client base includes chemical and petrochemical companies in Europe and the U.S.

Solvay is an international chemicals and pharmaceuticals group with worldwide leadership positions in most of its activities. Solvay operates through more than 400 companies in 50 countries.

Helms said the technology sophistication and competence of both trading partners helped make the integration successful and fast. "Solvay is a real thought leader in standards-based communication," Helms said. "Kempchen is a supplier that is clearly committed to client service through e-commerce. The Kempchen team deployed the Trade-Ranger Partner Server technology in record time and did an outstanding job in connecting their back-end system to the marketplace."

Kempchen's Chief Financial Officer Klaus Schonebeck said he is confident that the integration will benefit both sides of the buyer-supplier relationship by providing clear standardization, secure ordering and streamlined order administration. "Full integration through Trade-Ranger is an important step in our strategy for the future," Schonebeck said. "We are committed to the support of e-commerce initiatives that help us serve our clients at the highest level. Integration with Trade-Ranger is an important advantage we can offer our clients in the petrochemical industry."

Procurement allocation by Trade-Ranger's founding members represents approximately 25 percent of annual global spend in the energy and petrochemicals industries. To date, 20 buyer members and 1085 suppliers of goods and services used in the upstream, downstream, chemicals and retail sectors have joined the exchange.

About Solvay:

Solvay is an international chemicals and pharmaceuticals group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 31,400 people in 50 countries. In 2001 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.7 billion generated by its four activity sectors: Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Plastics and Processing. Solvay is listed in the Euronext 100 index of top European companies. Details are available at www.solvay.com

About Kempchen:

Kempchen, based in Oberhausen, Germany, is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of gaskets, packings and expansion joints. Kempchen's client base includes chemical and petrochemical companies in Europe and the U.S. Kempchen's strategy is based on its core competence in the production of gaskets; a sales focus on the chemical and petrochemical industries; and the use of e-commerce in serving clients with electronic catalogues based on several material classifications.

Additional information:

Klaus Schonebeck, Chief Financial Officer, Kempchen
0049-208-84-82-334
0049-208-84-82-267 (fax)
klaus.schonebeck@kempchen.de

Dieter Schlotmann, Chief Information Officer, Kempchen
0049-208-84-82-278
0049-208-84-82-285 (fax)
dieter.schlotmann@kempchen.de

About Trade-Ranger

Trade-Ranger is the global destination for online procurement in the energy and petrochemicals industry, connecting buyers and suppliers in the upstream, downstream and retail sectors. It was launched in July 2000 as a joint initiative by 15 of the world's leading energy and petrochemical companies, and was built with their support and feedback. Trade-Ranger is an independent electronic hub that enables e-procurement for its member companies and provides catalogue services (standards, creation, trading and invoicing) and value-added services such as auctions, investment recovery and eRFX.

Trade-Ranger's founding members are Conoco, The Dow Chemical Company, ENI, Equilon Enterprises, Mitsubishi Corporation, Motiva Enterprises, Phillips Petroleum Company, Repsol YPF, Royal Dutch/Shell, Statoil, TotalFinaElf , Unocal, Occidental Petroleum and BP.