The Budd Company Signs Three Year-Deal With Ventro Corporation

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Sept. 13, 2001--

Success of Initial Implementation at Budd's Plastics Division Leads to
    Multiyear Contract for the Ventro Collaborative Commerce Solution

    Ventro(TM) Corporation , a pioneer in business-to-business e-commerce, today announced that The Budd Company Plastics Division, a part of ThyssenKrupp Automotive, has signed a three-year deal to utilize the Ventro collaborative commerce solution (formerly known as NexPrise ipTeam) to optimize its program management across the supply chain. Budd is a leading supplier of fiberglass-reinforced composite compounds and molded products to major automobile, truck, and engine manufacturers. With annual revenues of $2.5 billion, The Budd Company produces products for more than 100 current new vehicle models sold in North America.
    The Ventro contract expands on an initial installation that currently enables Budd Plastics to collaborate with 50 suppliers throughout North America. The Budd Company Plastics Division is a worldwide leader in sheet molding composite (SMC) technology and manufacturing, and produces a variety of SMC 'Class A' surface panels, structural members, and engine components. Using the Ventro solution, Budd has a secure information management and communications online site that enables diverse teams of suppliers, partners, customers, and manufacturers, located across multiple organizations and geographic regions, to electronically interact and exchange data throughout the design process.
    "We had very high expectations for the Ventro collaborative commerce solution, and Ventro has exceeded those expectations," stated Tracy Carzoli, program manager, Budd Plastics. "We were seeking an innovative collaborative solution that would help us streamline our program management process across our supply chain, and would give us the security and control over the programs that we needed. The Ventro solution fits the bill."

    Initial Installation Demonstrates Ventro Benefits

    Within weeks after the initial installation began, Budd realized the benefits of using the Ventro solution to collaborate with its suppliers on product design, including:

    Enhanced program management capabilities -- The Ventro solution makes it easier for Budd to communicate throughout multiple tiers of the supply chain, provides instant updates to all program documents, manages issues to faster resolution, and reduces the need for meetings and travel time.
    Accelerated product development times -- These results occur because greater collaboration increases, the engineering change process is managed with greater efficiency, design changes are communicated faster, and the Ventro solution facilitates reuse of designs.
    Resolve launch issues faster -- The Ventro solution enables acceleration of "what-if" scenarios, allows for virtual change reviews, and assigns and tracks the status of issues.

    "Budd Plastics is an innovator in the automotive industry, which has allowed them to successfully enhance their customer, partner and supplier relationships," said David Perry, CEO of Ventro Corporation. "Ventro is pleased to help with the successful initial installation of our collaborative commerce solution, and we look forward to our continued relationship with Budd as the implementation of our Ventro solution expands."