02/06/01
eTrons Systems Mirrors EMS e-marketplace in Singapore to Boost Integrity, Security and Performance Using Singapore's "Trusted Global Hub" and IBM's e-business Hosting Services

eTrons Systems (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., today (February 6, 2001) announced the pre-launch of its e-marketplace 'TradeMX' for the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry and will tap into Singapore's 'trusted global hub' and established IT infrastructure. IBM Singapore, through its services arm, IBM Global Services, will provide e-business hosting and e-business consulting services to boost network security, data redundancy and transaction performance of eTrons Systems' portal in Asia.

The Conference entitled 'e-Solutions for Smarter Electronics Manufacturing: Pre-launch of eTrons Systems' Online Marketplace TradeMX' took place at the Marina Mandarin Hotel and was jointly organized by eTrons Systems (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and IBM Singapore Pte. Ltd.

A partnership agreement was signed earlier between Mr. Nicky Wu, co-founder and President of eTrons Systems, Inc., parent company of eTrons Systems Singapore and headquarters in Mountain View, California, and Mr Ong Hoon Meng, General Manager of IBM (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Under the agreement, eTrons Systems and IBM will work together in the provision of services to the EMS industry, initially in Singapore, China and Taiwan, and later in the other countries in the Asia Pacific region.

IBM, through its services arm, IBM Global Services, has assisted eTrons in producing detailed requirements, designing, building and implementing the e-commerce web site, as well as supporting infrastructure and respective interfaces between the software components. IBM Global Services will also provide the reliable and secured networking, data mirroring and enhanced portal performance through its data center and e-business hosting services for eTrons TradeMX in Asia

eTrons Systems will provide the best e-solution for the EMS industry through its domain knowledge, expert software design, and technical and engineering resources. "In essence, we have brought together eTrons and IBM respective core competencies to jointly deliver and co-market a suite of cutting edge e-solutions anxiously waited for by the EMS industry," said Mr. Wu.

To support the users of the multi-million dollar comprehensive e-marketplace, eTrons Systems will establish an Asia-wide help desk center in Singapore to harness its strategic location, network infrastructure and security, multi-language capabilities and telecommunications support.

Mr. Nicky Wu, Co-founder and President of eTrons Systems, Inc., parent company of eTrons Systems (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., is delivering his speech on "eTrons Systems Mirrors EMS e-Marketplace in Singapore" to conference attendees. At the head table (from left to right) are Mr. LK Wong, Managing Director of eTrons Systems Singapore, Mr. Ezekiel Zau, CIO and VP of Operations, eTrons Systems, Inc., and Mr. David Wootton, Technical Sales Director, eTrons Systems, Inc.

"We were attracted to Singapore because of the Government's drive for IT readiness and to become a secured global hub," Mr. Wu said. "Today's announcement will alleviate the procurement problems of the EMS industry, provide an avenue for EMS buyers and suppliers to conduct their business online, to develop Net Age users, to grow Singapore's EMS industry, to gear Singapore to be an e-procurement hub in Asia, and last but not the least to provide a secured and reliable trading place in Asia using Singapore strategic IT advantages."

"e-marketplaces are changing the way business is done in some of the largest and most traditional industries in the world, like electronics manufacturing. We are happy to collaborate with eTrons Systems in building and hosting an innovative e-marketplace for the EMS industry, helping these businesses reduce costs and improve operations," said Ong Hoon Meng, Managing Director, IBM Singapore. "eTrons Systems' TradeMX can help companies fully leverage the Internet's inherent potential, take advantage of new operational efficiencies, and create critical new business strategies."

"Singapore provides lots of encouragement and incentives to attract its local SMEs to become net users and world-class international EC (e-commerce) companies to hub in Singapore," said Mr. Wu. "These efforts are essential to enable successful EC in a country."

As an e-solution provider for the EMS industry, eTrons Systems strongly believes in having the best product, which is TradeMX, developed from the ground up with domain knowledge from its team and the two founders whose combined EMS experience exceeds 50 years; running on secured network, data center and hosted by IBM Singapore; and delivering quality services for EMS buyers and sellers to conduct their business online.

"These are the four elements that will constitute a successful e-commerce," said Mr. Wu. "Today, I am adding the fifth element: A well-established IT infrastructure and a pro-active Government to make e-business adoption the goal of 2001."

"Our portal and our partnership with IBM Singapore and EMS buyers and suppliers will encourage more Net Age EMS users to be more efficient in their procurement of parts and components, thus contributing to the overall Net Economy," he added.

TradeMX automates the procurement process by reducing mundane manual labor tasks and providing workflow optimization. Users have the ability to submit an RFQ, respond to an RFQ, create an order, or process an order. It also allows users to track the status of orders, any open requests or bids. The core benefits to the users are time-to-market, improved efficiency and accuracy, reduction in costs and an increase in revenues.

TradeMX also provide services for hard-to-find parts and customized parts. Through its PowerBuyMX, eTrons Systems harnesses the resource of its global network in Asia and North America to bring solutions to the EMS marketplace. For customized parts, TradeMX features CustomPartsMX, which allows buyers of custom parts to upload the RFQ with their e-design specification sheets, engineering drawings, and other additional materials for placing orders for special parts for assembly. A highly demanded interface to an EMS company's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system will be available for users to conduct planned buy activities using TradeMX's planned buy functionality.

About eTrons Systems, Inc.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 90 years of leadership in helping business innovate. IBM creates, develops and manufactures the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics. For more information, please visit www.ibm.com

About IBM Global Services
Global Services is the world's largest information technology services provider, with 1999 revenues of over $32 billion. Services is the fastest growing part of IBM, with more than 140,000 professionals serving customers in 160 countries. IBM Global Services integrates IBM's broad range of capabilities -- services, hardware, software and research -- to help companies of all sizes realize the full value of information technology. For more information visit www.ibm.com/services.

Media Contacts:

Copyright © 2001 eTrons Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. All company names, products, services, registered and/or unregistered trademarks and copyright belong to their respective companies.