Auto Industry Certifies MPACT Immedia for Auto Network Exchange

1 September 1998

MPACT Immedia Corporation - Automobile Industry Certifies First Service Provider For Automotive Network Exchange

    MONTREAL--Sept. 1, 1998--

    Certification by industry is a breakthrough in extranet
    technology

    MPACT Immedia, the electronic commerce unit of Bell Canada, has become the first service provider in the world to be certified for the Automotive Network Exchange(R) (ANX).
    Developed by the Electronic Business Solutions (EBS) group of Bell Emergis, which was recently merged with MPACT Immedia, the ANX service uses extranet technology to allow auto manufacturers to link seamlessly with their suppliers in total security. ANX is considered to be the most advanced extranet in the world and MPACT Immedia's solution for this network is called AutoLinx(R). Tests within the automotive industry indicate that auto manufacturers which subscribe to the ANX service can save up to $71 per vehicle - for a total savings of $1 billion per year - which will improve productivity within the automotive industry.
    MPACT Immedia's solution connects motor vehicle manufacturers like Ford, Chrysler, General Motors and Caterpillar with suppliers like Dana, Magna, Taylor Steel and Dofasco who provide everything from steel and rubber to car seats and mirrors. This single, common, standards-based, secure network replaces the complex, redundant and costly connections that automotive suppliers used to operate. MPACT Immedia will introduce a number of e-commerce solutions that will improve supply chain management for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers.
    "ANX will revolutionize the manufacturing processes of the automotive industry," said Brian Edwards, President and CEO of MPACT Immedia. "Up until now, the Internet has lacked the security and quality that would allow large corporations to exchange business information and transactions with each other. What we have accomplished with ANX is a hardening of the Internet, making it industrial strength."
    Christian Trudeau, Chief Operating Officer of MPACT Immedia, added that the auto industry is the logical place for such advancements in e-commerce technology.
    "The auto industry has always been an innovator in the field of electronic commerce," said Trudeau. "What ANX does is allow the major car and truck manufacturers to communicate easily with their trading partners so they can offer more services, make more decisions more quickly and perform all this a much lower cost."
    An 18-month pilot project conducted by the Automotive Industry Action Group in 1996 showed that North American automakers and suppliers reduced their overall communications costs by 70% when they used ANX. In the study's tests, the delivery time for EDI (electronic data interchange) messages was reduced from hours to about a minute, and error rates decreased by up to 75%. Results show that the ANX service would pay for itself within its first year of operation.
    "Using AutoLinx as an electronic commerce solution, the auto industry gains a number of distinct advantages," stated Trudeau. "The extranet offers connectivity, commerce enabling applications, value-added applications and content. As a result, we are the only network to offer the full spectrum of e-commerce that the industry requires."
    MPACT Immedia Corporation delivers network-centric business solutions that enable and become an integral part of customer processes. Its e-commerce solutions enable organizations to better compete in the global marketplace. Following its recently concluded merger with the Electronic Business Solutions (EBS) unit of Bell Emergis, the combined entity is one of the top tier electronic commerce providers in the world.