nexTier Solutions Announces Availability of eZ-Suite Supply Chain Collaboration Solutions for Paper Industry; Offers Unique Value-Added Support Tools to End-Users, Suppliers and Printers

Business Wire,  Dec 5, 2000  

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2000

nexTier Solutions, a developer of unique Web-based collaborative supply chain management solutions for major segments of the paper industry, Tuesday announced the availability of the eZ-Suite(TM) solutions.

The eZ-Suite family of products replaces outdated manual and computerized procurement and supply-chain management systems with an advanced technology that incorporates collaborative decision support tools and enables end-users, paper suppliers and printers to communicate and transact business among themselves online.

Developed over a two-year period, eZ-Suite consists of complementary applications specifically focused on end-users (publishers, catalogers and retail inserts); suppliers (paper mills and merchants/brokers); and printers.

Products within the eZ-Suite addressing these market segments are named eZ-Control (end-users), eZ-Supplier (suppliers) and eZ-Printer (printers).

Because each product within eZ-Suite provides tools to manage paper "from cradle to grave," the offering is unique to the paper industry. Traditional automated attempts have for the most part been limited to the procurement function.

As a supply chain management solutions provider, nexTier Solutions moves beyond "portals" and "exchanges" to offer a technology-driven model of supply chain collaboration and decision support.

eZ-Suite addresses every significant link within the paper supply chain, from calculation of paper needed and creation of a new purchase order to production scheduling, inventory determination and adjustment, process and planning reports and administration.

By significantly reducing the possibility for data entry error and eliminating miscommunication throughout the paper supply chain, eZ-Suite allows subscribing companies to increase productivity and experience a demonstrably significant return on their investment. In addition, it allows all parties along the supply chain to engage in real-time communication and recognize improved customer satisfaction.

"The paper industry -- a virtually untapped segment of the e-commerce market -- is in dire need of a better way to conduct and manage transactions among end-users, suppliers and printers," noted Martin Weel, nexTier Solutions' founder and chief technology officer (CTO).

"This is where we add value. Our technology, industry alliances and partnerships enable us to lead the way in providing Web-based supply chain management solutions that combine the broad reach of the Internet with the resources of existing corporate information systems."

The company offers its eZ-Suite of products in an application service provider (ASP) model, delivering software and services from a centralized facility to multiple users across the Internet. Since the eZ-Suite is delivered via an ASP model, it eliminates the need for users to invest in hardware and internal support resources.

"Because the paper industry is extremely capital intensive, companies within it are looking to automation and computerization of business processes and distribution channels to achieve lower operating costs and increased efficiency," said Weel.

"Today, no successful business stands alone. To increase and maintain market share, end-users, printers and distributors must work closely with suppliers to satisfy a demand for better products, services and internal efficiencies. Most e-commerce savings will derive from more efficient supply chains, which is what nexTier offers.

"In addition, companies demand that service providers understand the entire business."

Customers using nexTier Solutions' eZ-Suite conduct business in real time, as trading partners collaborate from point of origin to point of consumption.

eZ-Suite's decision support capabilities enable collaborative production scheduling, demand planning, order procurement, inventory control, waste management and logistics tracking.

These enabling technologies allow users to streamline allocation and logistics processes, assure accurate and timely order fulfillment, manage inventory to reduce carrying and warehousing costs, reduce paper waste, improve the quality of products and services, increase innovation and optimize business trading opportunities.

About nexTier Solutions

nexTier Solutions Corp., a provider of supply-chain management and collaborative decision support solutions, is based in Irvine. Its Web-based product architecture uses industry-leading XML and Dynamic HTML technology in a hosted application.

This technology makes the product easily adaptable to any operation, regardless of the level of technological sophistication, and ensures easy scalability to meet the needs of the largest publishers, suppliers and printers.

nexTier Solutions can be reached at 949/727-1400, by fax at 949/727-3551, or by e-mail at info@nextiersolutions.com. The Web site may be accessed at www.nextiersolutions.com.