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GXS Partners With Covast To Deliver Microsoft BizTalk Server Solution Worldwide Agreement Packages Best-of-Breed Solutions to Support Real-Time Integration of Global Supply Chains Gaithersburg, Md. and Atlanta — May 9, 2006 — GXS
and Covast today announced a partnership to enable and support the global delivery
of the Microsoft BizTalk Server solution. As leading providers of global business-to-business
(B2B) e-commerce solutions, Covast and GXS will package the GXS Trading GridSM,
Covast’s EDI Accelerator and Microsoft’s BizTalk Server software platform
into a single advanced B2B integration solution that enhances visibility and control
at all levels of the supply chain community. The combined solution, available
through both GXS and Covast, takes the comprehensive integration capabilities
of BizTalk Server and extends it further to external trading partners, enabling
businesses to integrate their B2B infrastructures with internal applications and
those of their Internet-based trading partners.
Aligned with GXS’ recently announced alliance with Microsoft, GXS will
resell the Microsoft BizTalk Server, which includes Covast’s EDI Accelerator,
to accelerate supply chain integration. In addition, Covast has named the GXS
Trading Grid its recommended global B2B network. Customers of the combined solution
will have access to more than 40,000 businesses on the GXS Trading Grid, as
well as to the advanced features and capabilities of GXS’ service-oriented
architecture platform.
“B2B e-commerce has become an increasingly complex and challenging process
given the amount of data involved and the global nature of the process,”
said Tim Farmer, manager of the Software Architect Team at Choice Homes. “The
combined Covast / GXS solution, using Microsoft BizTalk Server, presents a strong
value proposition for managing worldwide trading partner communities. With seamless
connectivity and interoperability global trading becomes real-time, efficient
and highly manageable. We are looking forward to the benefits this partnership
will provide our business.”
This agreement, the first industry collaboration to increase technology integration
between the Microsoft .NET software platform and the GXS Trading Grid, enables
not only real-time peer-to-peer connectivity, but also delivers increased integration
between trading partners. The combined solutions will accelerate the reliable
exchange of trading partner information by joining the robust software platform
of Microsoft BizTalk Server, the EDI to XML functionality of Covast’s
EDI Accelerator and market-leading GXS hosted service for global B2B messaging.
Covast’s EDI Accelerator is designed to complement the B2B capabilities
of the BizTalk Server environment, and enables companies deploying Microsoft
technology to seamlessly connect and interoperate with the GXS Trading Grid.
“Both GXS and Covast are committed to working together to serve customers
with a range of solutions that support on-demand supply chain automation and
integration,” said Bobby Patrick, senior vice president and chief marketing
officer at GXS. “For companies that have standardized on Microsoft technology,
GXS and Covast now offer the perfect complement to increase functionality and
performance, thus improving their reach across supply chains. We value the expertise
and experience with BizTalk Server that Covast brings to this partnership and
anticipate delivering the most comprehensive, high-performance solution for
the demand-driven supply chain.”
Together, GXS and Covast deliver a business integration platform based on Microsoft
technology that can support internal and external integration needs. This platform
offers companies the chance to reduce complexity and the number of systems needed
to support the supply chain. GXS and Covast have jointly developed advanced
Trading Partner Management tools within the platform to accelerate partner enablement,
streamline administration and deliver real time supply chain visibility.
“GXS and Covast together offer the ultimate B2B solution to customers
that have standardized on Microsoft technology,” said Daan Scheer, chief
executive officer at Covast. “This solution not only offers real-time
supply chain integration, but more importantly, automated trading partner onboarding
and complete supply chain and procurement visibility.”
The GXS Trading GridSM is GXS’ unique global integration platform that
enables and streamlines cross-enterprise business processes. The Trading Grid
is the world’s largest electronic business community, used by more than
40,000 trading partners to exchange goods and services. As a services-oriented
architecture B2B platform, Trading Grid helps customers automate global trading
communities by shielding complexity from rapidly changing standards, eliminating
manual and duplicative efforts and enabling a new level of process integration
and business intelligence.
About Covast
Covast provides the Microsoft recommended EDI solution for BizTalk Server. The
combination of Microsoft BizTalk Server, the Covast EDI Accelerator and AS2
Adapter delivers the ultimate B2B solution - enabling companies to easily integrate
their EDI infrastructures with internal applications and providing a gateway
for connecting trading communities. Covast is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.
With its European headquarters in the Netherlands and its U.S. headquarters
in Atlanta, Covast has strategic relationships with partners and customers including
Microsoft, HP, Citrix, Siemens, Ocean Spray, Grampian Foods and ABX Logistics.
For more information, visit http://www.covast.com.
About GXS
GXS is a leading global provider of B2B e-commerce solutions that simplify and
enhance business process integration and collaboration. Organizations worldwide,
including more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, leverage the GXS Trading
GridSM to achieve the perfect balance between supply and demand. Active in the
global standards arena, GXS enables customers both large and small, to connect
with global partners, synchronize product information, optimize inventory levels
and demand forecasts and accelerate the execution of supply chains.
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., GXS provides sales and support to businesses
and their partners worldwide. For more information visit our Web site at www.gxs.com.
All products and services mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.
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