September 5, 2003

The globally active MANN+HUMMEL Group is continuing to extend its use of the SupplyOn Internet platform. The objective is to reduce process costs in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM) by handling transactions rapidly, transparently and efficiently via the supplier platform. This is an integral part of the Group?s e-business strategy GROW (Global Relationship On Web) which aims to digitally interlink business processes all along the value chain - including purchasing, production, sales, customer relations and internal processes - via the Internet.

As a development partner and series production supplier to the automotive and mechanical engineering industries, MANN+HUMMEL has been using the SupplyOn WebEDI solution since mid 2002 to process delivery instructions. Now in future the platform will be used for three additional business processes: Initially the company intends to send single orders and invoices to its suppliers via WebEDI. In addition, there are also plans to accept delivery and transport data electronically.

At present the filtration specialist has four plants in Germany linked up to just under 100 suppliers. Before the end of this year, these will be joined by two further plants in Germany and works in Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Spain and France. The MANN+HUMMEL Group has set itself the target of establishing electronic links to a total of 300 of its direct production material suppliers before the year is out - either via SupplyOn WebEDI or using conventional EDI. Within two years MANN+HUMMEL plans to process operational orders with all suppliers worldwide exclusively by electronic means.

"Thanks to SupplyOn WebEDI, we can now communicate electronically even with smaller suppliers for whom the investment in a conventional EDI system is not economically viable. This not only increases the efficiency and transparency of our business processes, but also reduces our process costs," says Mischa Kohnen, E-business Project Manager at MANN+HUMMEL GMBH. However, there were also strategic reasons for choosing the SCM solution offered by SupplyOn: "We are convinced that SupplyOn will establish itself as the standard in the automotive supply industry. A uniform system is essential for the development of electronic links, particularly with smaller suppliers. This way, both sides are able to profit from optimized processes."

MANN+HUMMEL

The MANN+HUMMEL Group does business on a global scale. Sales in 2002 were valued at EUR 1.1 billion. MANN+HUMMEL employs a workforce of around 8,800 at 41 plants worldwide. The company develops, manufactures and distributes technically sophisticated automotive components including air filter systems, induction systems, fluid filtration systems and passenger compartment filters for the automobile industry as well as filter elements for motor vehicle servicing and repair purposes. The product range for the mechanical and process engineering industries and industrial manufacturing includes industrial filters, filtration plants and material handling equipment. MANN+HUMMEL?s customer base is drawn from numerous sectors, however the Group?s series production business with the automotive industry plays a key role.