Global eXchange Services Announces Plans to Enable the Real-Time Flow of Electronic Product Code Information Throughout Trading Networks

CHICAGO--May 1, 20048, 2004--

Company Announces Commitments to EPCglobal and RFID Standards

In a bid to enable the many benefits available to the retail supply chain from Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Global eXchange Services unveiled today its strategy to support electronic product code (EPC)-based information throughout its worldwide electronic trading networks and application services. Global eXchange Services also announced today that it has joined EPCglobal as a solution partner to drive the deployment of an industry standard EPC Network, and speed customer adoption of RFID.

Major retailers are now deploying RFID technology to track goods as they move through the supply chain, enabling business managers to pinpoint the location and movement of goods within minutes. Currently, data is transmitted in batched formats, often out of synch with the actual real-time movements of inventory. The current methodology builds in unnecessary costs of redundant inventory, stock-outs and other inefficiencies, hindering the real-time visibility of inventory.

"Global eXchange Services is committed to the success of RFID by leading the deployment of EPC-based capabilities throughout the supply chains of both small and large businesses," said David Kraemer, vice president of global market development for Global eXchange Services. "To accomplish this goal, our networks and application services will carry EPC identifiers in process exchanges relating to products tracked and traced across the value chain. Our customers, technology partners and industry organizations have validated the need for this leadership."

Regarding the Company's commitment to standards, Kraemer continued, "Global eXchange Services is committed to standards-based trading when the benefits for broad adoption of a viable standard reduces complexity. Our commitment to EPCglobal will ensure that our customers are prepared to take advantage of the benefits of RFID."

Global eXchange Services will build enhancements across its solution suites to incorporate EPC-based data as an element of its overall EPC strategy, including the following key areas:

-- Embracing EPC within Data Synchronization. Global eXchange Services' Data Synchronization Solutions will assist organizations in providing automated processes for reconciling synchronized product information with physical movement data, to ensure that the right products have arrived at the expected destinations, in the expected configurations.

-- Enhancing Application Services to Leverage Real-Time EPC Data. Global eXchange Services' Supply Chain Execution Solutions will add support for RFID tag events and will enhance key processes, such as exception management and logistics visibility track-and-trace services.

-- Simplifying Supplier Participation. Global eXchange Services' Small-and-Medium Business (SMB) Solutions will integrate RFID tag encoding and printing capability into its enablement platforms to support case-and-pallet labeling.

"Companies seeking to participate in the full benefits of RFID should begin planning and implementing now," commented Kraemer. "Today, Global eXchange Services has enabled the capability of exchanging this data in collaborative process exchanges."

Dicki Lulay, president of EPCglobal US, said that Global eXchange Services' participation is a strong indication of the technology's importance to businesses and consumers alike. "We applaud Global eXchange Services' commitment to partnering with us in the development of an open and standards-based commercialization of the EPC Network and RFID technology. Its participation in EPCglobal US is a strong indication of its support of EAN and the UCC in commercializing this technology to ultimately help companies in multiple industries view their supply chains in real time, saving time, money and speed to market."

"Data synchronization is the key collaborative e-business foundation for RFID, EPC and other initiatives in the horizon," said Kosin Huang, Yankee Group Business Applications and Commerce senior analyst. "Global eXchange Services has established a leadership position in data synchronization and product information management. By integrating EPC with their data synchronization solutions, they are demonstrating their commitment to trading networks that incorporate RFID signals with other data streams to provide true real time inventory management capabilities."

For customer seeking more information on EPC and RFID, Global eXchange Services has prepared an overview white paper available at http://www.gxs.com/downloads/wp_RFID.pdf.

About EPCglobal

EPCglobal, Inc., a joint venture between EAN International and the Uniform Code Council (UCC), is a not-for-profit organization entrusted to drive the global, multi-industry adoption and implementation of the EPC Network(TM). EPCglobal leverages the nearly thirty year heritage of EAN International and the UCC in successfully partnering with industry. The neutral, consensus-based, standards organization aims to make organizations more effective by enabling true visibility of information about items in the supply chain by developing and managing standards for the EPC Network. For more information on EPCglobal visit www.EPCglobalinc.org or www.EPCglobalUS.org. EPCglobal US is an affiliate of EPCglobal serving subscribers in the United States to help foster the adoption of the EPC Network and related technology.

About Global eXchange Services

Global eXchange Services, Inc. operates one of the largest B2B e-commerce networks in the world, managing 1 billion transactions annually for more than 100,000 trading partners. With over 35 years experience, Global eXchange Services provides supply chain services and software to 60 percent of the FORTUNE 500. Global eXchange Services is headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD in the U.S., with sales and development offices throughout Europe and Asia-Pacific. For more information visit our Web site at www.gxs.com.

All products and services mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors. These factors include technological developments, customer demand, trading partner participation and network availability.