Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc. Teams With Eventra for Direct Material Supply Chain Pilot Program

    MILFORD, Conn.--Feb. 26, 2001--Eventra, a leading provider of Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) software, today announced that Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc. (SIA), a manufacturer of Subaru cars and Isuzu SUVs, has selected Eventra's VendorSite solution for a direct material supply chain pilot program.
    VendorSite is the Internet-based SRM software solution that provides manufacturers with a "window" into their direct material supply chain. The VendorSite solution, requiring only Internet access and a standard Web browser, enables the electronic exchange of planning schedules, shipment notices, payment details and more.
    The pilot program, beginning mid-April, will help SIA (Subaru) gauge how it can conduct business easier, faster, and more reliably with its suppliers. Seven of Subaru's major suppliers will participate in the pilot, including: Heartland Automotive LLC, Elsa LLC, General Seating of America, Fuji Component Parts, HAPPICO, and Arvin-Kayaba LLC.
    "Subaru understands that there are tremendous cost-savings and increased efficiency when suppliers are linked electronically. VendorSite offers Subaru the ability to receive real-time communication on project status wherever and whenever they need it - with nothing more than a standard Web browser," said Stuart Sawabini, President & CEO of Eventra. "We look forward to a successful pilot and a long-term relationship with the company."
    Subaru, among the fastest growing brands in the automobile industry, enjoyed a stellar 2000 where the company established a sixth consecutive year of total sales growth.
    "We are looking to VendorSite to help maximize our relationship with our suppliers," said Hiroshi Sakamoto, Sr. Manager of 1st Purchasing. "This commitment to our suppliers is surpassed only by our commitment to our customers. We expect the pilot program will lead to a permanent solution which enhances our direct materials procurement and planning process."

    About VendorSite

    VendorSite is a Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) business application for supply chain execution and collaboration configured to manufacturers' individual business processes. VendorSite allows manufacturers and their suppliers to exchange a full range of planning, scheduling, shipment and payment information online to streamline the direct materials procurement and planning process. Its integration with manufacturers' ERP/MRP and legacy systems and extensive data mining capabilities further extend its value. By offering an inter-enterprise, collaborative view into the direct material supply chain, VendorSite enables companies to reduce inventory holdings, improve their forecasting accuracy, and improve the order-fulfillment cycle time.

    About Eventra

    Founded in 1998, Eventra (www.eventra.com) is the leading Supplier Relationship Management software provider that is wholly focused on the direct material supply chain. Current VendorSite customers include Pitney Bowes, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., Kaman Aerospace, Blue Bird Corporation, and several global leaders in the aerospace, automotive and heavy equipment industries. Eventra is a privately held company based in Milford, CT and can be contacted in the U.S. at 1.203.882.9988 or at www.eventra.com.

    About Subaru -Isuzu Automotive

    SIA is a joint venture between Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan (Subaru) and Isuzu Motors of Japan. Subaru pioneered the concept of the passenger car/sport -utility vehicle with the introduction of the Subaru Outback, the "World's First Sport Utility Wagon." Subaru has been the best-selling import wagon in America for the past 18 years, based on the Polk Company retail registration statistics as of 12/31/99.
    All Legacy and Outback models sold in the United States are produced at the Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc. manufacturing plant near Lafayette, Ind. Over the past eight years, the company has seen its sales increase by nearly 100 percent thanks to its popular line of car-based sport utility vehicles, and is among the fastest growing brands in the automobile industry.