On-demand PLM Specialist Launches Supplier Marketplace

Arena debuts online community of suppliers using product lifecycle management solution to interact with their OEMs

Arena debuts online community of suppliers using product lifecycle management solution to interact with their OEMs

Menlo Park, CA — November 8, 2005 — Product lifecycle management specialist Arena Solutions has launched a new online directory of product design firms, contract manufacturers, component suppliers and fabricators trained and certified on Arena PLM to help OEMs get products to market faster.

Arena said its new Supplier Marketplace directory will be accessible to all users of Arena PLM from within the application, as well as the company's Web site, allowing companies to find, connect with and engage in new supply chain partnerships. At the time of the launch, nearly 100 suppliers have signed up as charter members of the marketplace, according to Arena.

"Collaboration between OEMs and suppliers is pivotal to successfully bringing products to market on time and on budget, especially in today's global, outsourced manufacturing environment," said Michael Topolovac, CEO of Arena Solutions. "In launching the Arena Supplier Marketplace, we're opening up new opportunities for global suppliers and OEMs to interact and engage."

Topolovac said that both manufacturers and suppliers could derive benefits from using the marketplace. "It's a dual value proposition for suppliers seeking new customer relationships and a lower cost way to conduct business, as well as Arena manufacturers seeking alternate sourcing relationships or parts suppliers for new product introduction," he said.

To date, more than 2,000 individual supplier users have been invited by more than 15,000 manufacturing, engineering and purchasing professionals to use Arena PLM to communicate product information and collaborate in an on-demand environment that is cost-free to the supplier, according to Arena.

Because Arena PLM software is delivered as a service, every user has access to the application with no software installations or downloads, no deployments and no ongoing IT maintenance, the solution provider said.

Arena said that participants in the Arena Supplier Marketplace receive free training and certification on the Arena PLM application, a marketing presence on the Arena Supplier Marketplace, access to hundreds of manufacturers and thousands of subscribers already using Arena PLM today, visibility to thousands of prospects that visit Arena's Web site on a daily basis, and the opportunity to participate in ongoing PLM marketing and visibility initiatives.


Additional Articles of Interest

— For more information on how manufacturers and suppliers are leveraging on-demand PLM to compete in the global marketplace, see the Web seminar archived here and featuring Data Domain Vice President of Operations David Sangster.

— For more information on mid-market companies using product lifecycle management solutions to gain competitive advantage, see "Stuck in the Middle" in the April/May 2004 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.

— Look before you leap: For tips to follow before you set up shop in China, especially with regard to the supply chain, read the SDCExec.com exclusive "Entering China: No One Said It Was Easy."


Latest