B2B marketplace FreeMarkets, along with RightWorks Corporation, a provider of next-generation e-business applications, recently announced a strategic alliance. Under the terms of the alliance, FreeMarkets and RightWorks will deliver e-sourcing and catalog solutions for direct and indirect materials purchases.
FreeMarkets and RightWorks will jointly offer full-service e-sourcing and catalog solutions for purchasing materials, such as corporate MRO. In addition, RightWorks will offer customers access to FreeMarkets B2B e-marketplace for enhanced direct materials purchasing capabilities and surplus asset sales.
The FreeMarkets/ RightWorks combination will offer customers a full-service solution for purchasing. For example, customers can source corporate MRO supply contracts by identifying suppliers from the global FreeMarkets network and conducting dynamic price negotiations through the FreeMarkets B2B e-marketplace. FreeMarkets then populates the RightWorks Universal Content Manager with information from the winning bidder, transferring item part numbers, descriptions and new pricing information. The RightWorks Universal Content Manager, which includes personalization and approval management features, can be hosted or implemented in-house.
RightWorks customers involved with the purchasing of direct materials will have access to the FreeMarkets B2B e-marketplace for enhanced sourcing capabilities that comprise the majority of corporate purchasing. RightWorks customers will also have access to FreeMarkets Asset Exchange technology, allowing them to build mirrored exchanges for the sale of surplus equipment and inventory.
