E-catalog system of Heiler Software AG to be implemented at DaimlerChrysler

DaimlerChrysler will use Premium Business Catalog, the electronic catalog system of Heiler Software AG, as the basis for its new e-procurement solution in the USA and Europe.

Stuttgart, 26. September, 2001 – In the course of the introduction of a company-wide e-procurement solution, DaimlerChrysler has decided to implement the Premium Business Catalog of Heiler Software AG. This electronic e-catalog is part of an IT-architecture which completely integrates the marketplace Covisint. It is to facilitate the access to up to 1,000 different suppliers' catalogs with a total of 10 million articles for more than 15,000 users.

DaimlerChrysler AG introduces a new catalog-based procuring system for its extensive procurement system, comprising thousands of suppliers, and millions of articles. Core of the new application will be the Premium Business Catalog of Heiler Software AG, a highly scalable electronic catalog software.

With this new catalog system, DaimlerChrysler AG will provide MRO-goods (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) – e.g. tools, IT-equipment, and machine spare parts - in a virtual shop to its employees, in order to accelerate procuring processes and to reduce process costs.

The application will be applied at several locations within the whole DaimlerChrysler group, and first it will be implemented in Germany and the USA. The automotive marketplace Covisint, which, among others, DaimlerChrysler is shareholder of, provides the catalog data, and handles order transactions. The Premium Business Catalog of Heiler Software AG provides the catalog products of the virtual shops with an extensive variety of search and selection features. In the final stage, the new catalog solution at DaimlerChrysler will contain up to 1,000 different suppliers' catalogs with approximately 10 million articles and services; more than 15,000 users will place their orders via this system.

"The catalog-based release order system eSHOP is one of the e-business initiatives which can be directly applied by a lot of employees, and which thus has a very high economical potential", explains Tilman Knapp, project manager of eSHOP at DaimlerChrysler. "That's why the catalog component, as the core of eSHOP, has such a great significance."

"The e-procurement project of DaimlerChrysler belongs to the most demanding project of this kind", explains Rolf Heiler, CEO of Heiler Software AG in Stuttgart. "DaimlerChrysler's decision to globally implement our Premium Business Catalog demonstrates more than anything how powerful our system is. The global implementation makes Heiler Software AG a global supplier of catalog solutions."

About DaimlerChrysler AG
DaimlerChrysler is one of the leading automobile, transport and service companies in the world. Some of their passenger car brands are Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeepâ, Dodge, and smart. Commercial vehicles are produced under the brand names Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star, Setra, Thomas Built Buses, Orion, and American LaFrance. The DaimlerChrysler Services provide financial and other services. In the fiscal year 2000 DaimlerChrysler made a turnover of 162.4 billion euros with 416,500 employees.

About Covisint
Covisint is an initiative of the automotive industry aiming at the improvement of company-critical business processes like team-based product development, procurement, or supply chain management. Thus it is meant to optimize global cost structures, and product quality, as well as to shorten the time to market. Covisint was founded in December 2000 by DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Renault, Commerce One, and Oracle. Recently PSA Peugeot Citroën, which has subsidiaries in Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Southfield, Michigan, has also joined the initiative. Further information: www.covisint.com 

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