Celanese Acetate Selects webMethods B2B for Supply Chain Integration Initiatives

Business Wire, August 22, 2000

Business/Technology Editors

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 22, 2000

Celanese Acetate to Leverage Leading Business-To-Business Integration (B2Bi) Solution to Increase Productivity and Efficiencies

Across the Acetate Supply Chain

webMethods, Inc. (NASDAQ: WEBM), the leading provider of business-to-business integration (B2Bi) solutions, today announced that Celanese Acetate LLC, the world's largest producer of acetate fiber, has selected webMethods B2B(TM) as its B2Bi solution for supply chain integration.

webMethods B2B enables Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations and B2B marketplaces to effectively realize their B2Bi strategies by providing a comprehensive software infrastructure that supports a broad range of Industry accepted standards and protocols such as XML, RosettaNet, cXML, FpML and OBI, among others. webMethods B2B will provide Celanese Acetate with a comprehensive software infrastructure for connecting with their trading partners in a secure and reliable fashion. The solution will allow for real-time collaboration and improved efficiencies across the acetate supply chain.

"webMethods B2B will allow us to optimize our information flow within our enterprise as well as across our supply chain," said Fabyan Saxe, vice president of Celanese Acetate with responsibility for Supply Chain Management and Information Technology. "Seamless, real-time data exchange with our trading partners will be critical in achieving our vision of supply chain collaboration."

"An increasing number of companies, particularly early adopters in the chemical industry like Celanese Acetate, are realizing the value of integrated supply chains to significantly enhance and streamline their business interactions on a daily basis with a number of their key suppliers, partners, and customers," said Phillip Merrick, president and CEO of webMethods, Inc. "By selecting webMethods B2B, Celanese Acetate will have the ability to achieve tighter supply chain integration, strengthen customer relationships, lower distribution and direct procurement costs, and manage inventories with greater control."

webMethods provides a comprehensive, end-to-end solution that allows organizations to effectively realize their B2B e-commerce strategies both inside and outside enterprise boundaries. Through broad support of open standards and protocols, such as XML, RosettaNet, ebXML, FpML, cXML, xCBL, OBI, OAG, ACORD, Microsoft BizTalk and legacy EDI, webMethods B2Bi solutions provide the critical software infrastructure that enables companies to form powerful trading networks with customers, suppliers and partners. With webMethods B2Bi solutions, companies can conduct business-to-business over the Internet with minimal stress to corporate resources and existing technology infrastructure.

About webMethods, Inc.

webMethods, Inc. (Nasdaq: WEBM) is the leading provider of software solutions for business-to-business integration (B2Bi). As the only company providing seamless B2Bi across the Internet and throughout the extended enterprise, webMethods provides Global 2000 companies and B2B marketplaces with a complete, end-to-end solution for integrating customers, suppliers and partners into real-time B2B trading networks, while also increasing internal operational efficiencies. The webMethods product family allows companies to create new revenue opportunities, strengthen relationships with customers, substantially reduce supply chain inefficiencies and streamline internal business processes.

Founded in 1996, webMethods is based in Fairfax, Va., with offices across the U.S., Europe and Asia. With an emphasis on key vertical markets such as chemicals, financial services, high-tech manufacturing and telecommunications, webMethods has more than 425 customers worldwide--from Global 2000 leaders such as Citibank, Dell, Eastman Chemical Company, Fidelity Investments, Grainger, Motorola, Teligent and Starbucks to major B2B marketplaces like ChemConnect, e-STEEL and Ventro. webMethods' strategic partners include Ariba, Commerce One, Deloitte Consulting, EDS, i2 Technologies, KPMG, Microsoft, Oracle Corp., SAP AG and Vantive. More information about the company can be found at www.webMethods.com.

About Celanese Acetate

Celanese Acetate LLC, part of Celanese AG, is the world's largest acetate producer. Its products are found in women's and men's apparel fashions, linings, home furnishings, medical products and industrial end uses. Celanese acetate products are manufactured in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Belgium and Asia.

Celanese AG, a leading global chemical company, generated sales of approximately 4.3 billion euros in 1999 and employs about 14,600 people. Celanese has five main businesses: Acetyl Products, Acetate Products, Chemical Intermediates, Technical Polymers and Performance Products, which consist of OPP polypropylene films and food ingredients. Based near Frankfurt, the company has 32 production plants and five research centers in eight countries mainly in North America, Europe and Asia. Celanese AG shares are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol CZZ and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CZ.