After Omnexus: Clive Maier looks back at the rise and fall of Omnexus, and draws out some pointers for the future of e-business in the plastics sector.(Software)

British Plastics & Rubber, February, 2004

IT WAS launched with a fanfare at NPE 2000. It was backed by the some of the biggest names in the business. They put in, so it was said, $50 million just for starters. It was the internet plastics marketplace that could not fail. It was Omnexus--and it has failed.

As we reported last month, Omnexus has given up on trading. The dream had been of a one-stop shop for processors. A place where they could buy not only materials but machinery, ancillaries and all their essential supplies from the on-line catalogues of the leading suppliers, all offering their wares in e-competition. So ...