4 Brands Boot-Up E-Business

CANTON, Ohio--The Timken Co., Rockwell Automation, The SKF Group and INA Holding Schaeffler KG have formed an alliance to provide Internet-based services and integrated logistics for bearings and related products.

The alliance plans to offer North American and European distributors a convenient shopping site for the companies’ products, and the group also will provide integrated logistics capabilities in North America.

“As leaders in our industries, the founding companies are moving decisively to bring the best of e-business to the real world of industry,” said Michael C. Arnold, a division president at Timken. “By joining forces, we will build quickly on our respective e-business capabilities, logistics assets and distributor relationships to benefit the entire supply chain.”

In North America, the founding companies have formed CoLinx, LLC, an independent limited liability company equally owned by the four founding companies, to manage the operation. CoLinx will acquire both the assets of PTplace.com, currently a Rockwell Automation Power Systems e-business Internet site, and the shared logistics operations of Rockwell and SKF.

Don Louis, director of e-business for Rockwell, will serve as president of CoLinx. A team of Timken e-business staffers is working with representatives from each of the founding companies in preparing the service for an April launch.

In Europe, the companies are joined by The Sandvik Group in acquiring Endorsia.com International AB, an industrial e-business service provider currently owned by SKF. The five companies will be equal owners in the company. Rolf Nordahl will continue as president of Endorsia.

“Distributors should quickly realize the benefits of a more efficient ordering system and improved speed and efficiency. Basing the new services on proven e-business platforms and the infrastructure of Timken Direct, reduces the software implementation and speeds the launch,” said Daniel E. Muller, Timken’s director of e-business.

“This is part of our strategy to capitalize on e-business opportunities to realize efficiencies in our business and spur profitable growth,” said Muller. “Our customers expect us to offer online ordering and services, and we do that through Timkendirect.com. Now, they will recognize even greater value from a service that brings many of their leading industrial product lines together in one place.”

“Because our approach is customer focused, we support adding other premium brand manufacturers into the alliance to expand the product offering,” said Arnold. “Our own success will be determined by how well we can serve our customers. This alliance is designed to do just that.”