E-business service matches up PCB buyers and sellers

Citation

(2000), "E-business service matches up PCB buyers and sellers", Circuit World, Vol. 26 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2000.21726bad.018

E-business service matches up PCB buyers and sellers

Keywords Info Elec, World Wide Web, Printed circuit boards

An e-commerce initiative launched by Ashford. Kent-based Info Elec facilitates commercial transactions between manufacturers and users of printed circuit boards wherever in the world either party happens to be located.

Dubbed PCB007, and accessed via Into Elec's Web site http://www.pcb007.com the new service matches electronics companies' PCB requirements with the individually audited capabilities of PCB manufacturing companies (Plate 1). It also dramatically speeds interaction, reduces the cost of doing business, and even guarantees that the board makers receive payment.

Plate 1 Info Elec's new PCB007 Internet service

And with $2 million already invested in PCB007. Info Elec is aiming high. "This service is a new business model for the PCB industry", said Info Elec Chairman, Olivier Cadic, "We're looking to facilitating £10 million worth of transactions next year".

Operation of the service is straightforward. Buyers submit their quotation requests (RFQs) to PCB007. Their requirements are then analysed and the RFQs forwarded only to those PCB fabricators that have demonstrated, during auditing by PCB0077, that they have the capabilities necessary to fulfil an order should one be forthcoming. lnterested PCB fabricators send their quotations to PCB007 for forwarding to the potential customer, who then makes a decision. Only now is the anonymity broken, as the buyer places an order directly with the chosen supplier.

Both buyer and sellers benefit. The buyer submits multiple RFQs at no cost and, whilst remaining anonymous, receives rapid quotations from suppliers world-wide that are capable of meeting its particular design and board technology requirements. The potential suppliers also remain anonymous, with unsuccessful bidders receiving useful feedback regarding the successful bid, i.e. delivery date, global location and price paid by the buyer. The successful supplier has only had to quote for business that suits its particular capabilities and has avoided the need for sales effort in possibly far off locations. Furthermore, payment of the successful supplier by the buyer is guaranteed by PCB007.

Strictly impartial, the service is totally free to buyers and to unsuccessful suppliers. The successful supplier pays PCBO07 a 3 percent commission on the value of the order.

"Clearly, in-depth auditing of supplier company capabilities is crucial to the efficiency of the service", said Cadic. "Already we have a team of auditors, all respected PCB industry professionals, operating world-wide and companies producing $2.5 billion worth of PCBs a year have been checked". He added: "Over the next 18 months we will extend our auditing to take in some 900 PCB manufacturers world-wide".

For further information please contact: Olivier Cadic. Tel: +44 (0)1233 620176; Fax: +44 (0)1233 666108; E-mail: ocadic@info-elec.com Or visit the e-business pages on Info Elec's Web site: http://www.pcb007.com