Avnet and Alliances Launch Promiere, An Online Services Business; Promiere Delivers Professional Services and Premiere Content

Business Wire, Oct 25, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2001

Avnet Thursday announced the launch of Promiere(SM), a unique bundling of design chain, supply chain and inventory optimization information and services for the North American electronics manufacturing industry.

Promiere delivers a seamless flow of accurate component and market information as well as a range of trading group and exchange services to let customers optimize their design and supply chains.

"If we have learned one thing from this recent industry downturn, it's that the electronics manufacturing supply chain is stressed to its limits and in some cases broken," said Greg Frazier, executive vice president, Promiere.

"It is clear that while there are some flaws in our forecasting methodology, had accurate, reliable information been available, some of the inventory build-up could have been avoided. The processes and systems we use to help plan our businesses may work well, but they are limited by the quality of the information that drives them.

"We need to have the information in place to make intelligent supply chain decisions during the design process. We also need the ability to mitigate inventory liability after production has ceased. Promiere represents a giant leap forward in supply-chain intelligence and services to support the entire product development cycle, within the context of a collaborative work environment."

In creating Promiere, Avnet has drawn upon its rich database of transactional information to unlock market condition information. Promiere has formed alliances with best-in-class providers of a complete range of competencies to deliver a total supply-chain solution.

By forging alliances with i2, SpinCircuit, Cadence, PMG (a division of management consultants, Pittiglio, Rabin, Todd and McGrath (PRTM)), and America II, an even more comprehensive range of information, technology and services is available. The alliances provide the tools to offer a complete solution --

-- Intelligence about parts, delivered to engineers' desktop EDA schematic
tools, within a collaborative work environment

-- Research about supply-chain best practices to allow companies to compare
processes against industry standards

-- Collaborative infrastructure to drive both internal and external
supply-chain efficiencies

-- Access to an expanding range of safe, secure and trustworthy trading groups
and exchange options for managing and maximizing return on inventory

"We are very pleased to offer this unique new business to the electronics manufacturing industry," commented Steve Church, president of Avnet's yet to be named services division. "There is a critical need for a next-generation design to end-of-life solution, to bring accurate component intelligence to design and supply chain decision-making.

"Companies must have the tools and information available to maximize their inventory investment throughout the product development, production, and post-production cycle.

"Promiere brings together best-in-class solutions from technology leaders and combines them with parametric, transactional and schematic component information so design and supply chain participants have exactly the right information and analysis that fits their needs. Never before has this type of information been available within such a comprehensive technology context."

Promiere addresses the entire product life cycle, with current service offerings in the categories of Design Chain, Supply Chain, and Exchange Services.

Design Chain Services

EDA enables users to quickly and easily access and use information for more than a million parts directly linked to schematic symbols.

Supply Chain Services

BOM Optimizer(SM) integrates Avnet's extensive transaction data and years of electronic component domain expertise, and i2 Technology's industry-leading VIP database.

The Performance Measurement Group (PMG), a PRTM company, provides users with an online benchmarking service to reach higher levels of supply-chain performance and profitability.

Exchange Services

Inventory Exchange(SM), allows users to create a range of inventory management options within their own organization, supply chain, or industry, by matching each type of trading group to the situation. But when the open market is the best opportunity to maximize return on inventory, Market Exchange services, by America II, is a Bid, Ask, and Match spot market hosted by Promiere.

Promiere Alliances:

About i2 Technologies

i2 is creating real value for its global e-business customers through its i2 TradeMatrix solutions, content and marketplace platform. i2 TradeMatrix allows businesses to create both private and public marketplaces, while improving the efficiencies of all participants.

i2 provides a wide variety of collaborative e-business services for both the early stages and next generation of e-business adoption, with each service supported by decision optimization, transaction management and content management solutions. Founded in 1988, i2's mission is to deliver $75 billion in value to its customers by 2005.