This Week in IDEA | January 7, 2009

New IDEA and IDEA IRD Customers

IDEA announces three new IDEA customers and three new IDEA IRD customers. Read more about these companies and how you can begin trading with them electronically to expand your business.

New IDEA Customers

ETCO Electric Supply, Inc. from Wausau, WI became an IDEA customer on December 23, 2008. They will depend on Industry Data Warehouse (IDW) for their product and pricing needs and will take advantage of the cost savings and reliability of Industry Data Exchange (IDX). ETCO ES is a proud member of IMARK Group http://www.imarkgroup.com. Welcome aboard!

Controller Service & Sales Co., Inc. from Avon, MA became an IDEA customer on December 31, 2008. They distribute electrical control components and industrial automation products. Controller Service & Sales will depend on Industry Data Warehouse (IDW) for their product and pricing needs and will take advantage of the cost savings and reliability of Industry Data Exchange (IDX). They are proud members of NAED http://www.naed.org. Find out more at www.controllerservice.com. Welcome aboard!

Key Electric Supply from Panama City, FL became an IDEA customer on December 31, 2008. They will depend on Industry Data Warehouse (IDW) for their product and pricing needs. Key Electric Supply is a proud member of NAED http://www.naed.org. Welcome aboard!

New IDEA IRD Customers

IDEA, a 1SYNC Data Pool On-Board Solution (OBS) partner, implements suppliers that subscribe to the 1SYNC data pool using IDEA's IRD CERICOMX® application. IDEA was recently assigned three suppliers:

• Synta Inc.
• S Goldberg & Co. Inc
• A. M. Braswell, Jr. Food Company

These companies will be trained to use IRD CERICOMX®, an IDEA branded product for supporting and uploading supplier product information into the GS1 Registry® and GDSN via the 1SYNC Data Pool.

If you would like to find out more about the CERICOMX® product, please contact , IRD Product & Customer Support Manager, at .

Tags for this post: idw customers idx ird key electric controller service & sales etco electric

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IDEA teams with Sterling Commerce to expand eCommerce solutions

Agreement with leading software company broadens IDEA’s solution packages for supply chain

IDEA announces a strategic relationship with Sterling Commerce, an AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) company. Under terms of the agreement, IDEA will now offer B2B on-demand services from the Sterling Collaboration Network, the company’s hosted service that provides secure connectivity and collaboration between businesses. In addition, IDEA will begin integrating Sterling Commerce services into its current suite of products to deliver a broader array of solutions to its customers, specifically in the electrical industry supply chain.

Sterling Commerce, recently named among the top 100 largest software companies on Software Magazine’s annual listing of the world’s largest software and service providers, helps customers thrive in a global economy by connecting their business communities, processes, people and technology. By leveraging service oriented architectures (SOA) and other innovative technologies, Sterling Collaboration Network makes it easier to automate eCommerce/business-to-business (B2B) processes by enabling companies to securely and reliably exchange business documents. Today, it provides connections to over 90 other public and private networks and manages as many as 4.5 million B2B documents per day with more than 99.9 percent reliability.

“IDEA is helping companies in the electrical industry supply chain transform their eCommerce business processes, and Sterling Commerce is pleased to be providing the technology foundation that can automate processes that were a challenge to automate in the past,” said Phil Smith, vice president, global network product lines, Sterling Commerce.

“Our customers’ feedback drove this decision. We want eCommerce to be easy and being able to incorporate new methodologies and services into our current platform is a giant leap forward,” said Bob Gaylord, president and CEO, IDEA. “The intent is to allow our customers to achieve the maximum benefit from our products and to supply them with a viable data synchronization platform.”

Sterling Commerce has made solutions within the Sterling Collaboration Network available to IDEA and the company will begin to offer:

• Web enablement – provides manufacturers with the capability to process purchase orders and manage invoices on-demand and in real-time
• Web forms – provides distributors with the capability to process purchase orders and manage invoices on demand and in real-time
• B2B Integrator – provides companies with any-to-any translation of supply chain documents

The addition of these industry-leading offerings expands IDEA’s range as a robust eCommerce service provider. Sterling Commerce also will provide IDEA with training and sales support to drive demand for the solutions offered.

"IDEA is driving to expand the opportunities that come from strategic partnerships and the Sterling Commerce relationship is a key component of our strategy,” said Gaylord. “Sterling Commerce will most definitely play an integral role in helping us support our existing customers as well as penetrate additional markets we are currently targeting.”

Sterling Commerce now joins current IDEA strategic partners Activant Solutions, 1SYNC and DATAgility.

Tags for this post: data synchronization b2b ecommerce electrical industry partners sterling commerce document exchange web enablement web forms translation software

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Naomi Aung Joins the IDEA Team

Naomi Aung, formally an IT Specialist for the US Department of Labor, joined the IDEA team on December 29, 2008. She will support the Data Content Department as the Data Content Programmer. Her primary responsibilities include maintaining databases for Industry Data Warehouse (IDW), data analysis, data quality checks, streamlining manual processes and assisting with processing manufacturer updates and new loads.

Please join us in welcoming Naomi to the team. You may contact her at or .  

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Hubbell, Inc. and Schneider Electric: First Sponsors of the IDEA E-Biz Forum 2009

IDEA would like to thank Hubbell, Inc. for their Silver level sponsorship and Schneider Electric for their Bronze level sponsorship of the IDEA E-Biz Forum 2009. These companies are the first to demonstrate their support of the electrical industry’s only annual event focused on advancing the industry through eBusiness and the latest technologies. Their leadership and support is greatly appreciated by all. The event will take place on September 22-24 in Tucson, AZ. Detailed information about the event will be available online this month.

Hubbell Incorporated is an international manufacturer of quality electrical and electronic products for a broad range of non-residential and residential construction, industrial and utility applications. With 2007 revenues of $2.5 billion, Hubbell Incorporated operates manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil, Australia and the United Kingdom, participates in joint ventures in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, and maintains sales offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, the People's Republic of China, Mexico, and the Middle East. The corporate headquarters is located in Orange, CT. Find out more at www.hubbell.com.

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centres/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the company's 120,000 employees achieved sales of more than 17.3 billion euros in 2007, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations “Make the most of their energy.” Find out more at www.schneider-electric.com.

Interested in joining these industry leaders in their support of eBusiness advancements? Take a look at the exclusive sponsor sneak peek to select and confirm your company sponsorship.

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Reminder: Catch up with Bob Gaylord at the NAED Western Region Conference

Bob Gaylord, President and CEO, will provide insights on how you can reduce errors in your business processes to increase profit margins using IDEA at the NAED Western this month, in Palm Desert, CA.

Session Title: “Protecting Profits and Eliminating Mistakes Using IDEA"
Date: Wednesday, January 21
Time: 1:15 - 2:45 PM
About the Session: Even the best sales organizations can see their margins dissipated by backend mistakes and errors. This session focuses on how IDEA will reduce errors to ensure that sales increases go to your bottom line, not into a technological blackhole.

In this session, you will gain:

• The opportunity to impact IDEA’s strategic direction;
• Firsthand knowledge of new IDEA offerings; and
• A greater understanding of how data standards can remove your company’s limitations.

IDEA will also conduct one-on-one sessions throughout the event. Come share stories about your business and ideas with the electrical industry’s data synchronization service provider. Bob will select one of your comments to respond to for February’s post on www.highvoltageideas.com.  

How to save your seat: Call Pat McCartin at or email  with your preferred date and time. 

Tags for this post: bob gaylord naed events

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Customer Spotlight: OSRAM SYLVANIA Opens $30M Energy Efficient Lighting Operation

Company Becomes the First T5 Lamp Producer in North America

OSRAM SYLVANIA has opened a $30 million manufacturing operation for energy-efficient T5 fluorescent lamps, the first in North America. The company marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Versailles, Ky. Charlie Jerabek, president and CEO, led the festivities.

The new highly automated production line will employ approximately 25 people and produce tens of millions of energy efficient lamps each year. The OSRAM SYLVANIA plant has a total employment of approximately 800 and an annual payroll of over $50 million.

“OSRAM SYLVANIA is proud to bring T5 lamp production to North America and keep manufacturing jobs here in Kentucky,” said Jerabek. “Our investment in this green technology shows that what is good for our environment can also be good for our economy.”

SYLVANIA PENTRON® T5 fluorescent lamps are up to 30 percent more efficient than older T12 and T8 fluorescent lamp types. The company previously imported PENTRON T5 lamps from manufacturing facilities in Europe.

“Our unique position as a U.S. producer of SYLVANIA PENTRON T5 fluorescent lamps allows us to provide energy-conscious businesses with superior lighting, world-class service and competitive pricing,” said Jerabek.

Due to their energy efficiency and high color rendering properties, SYLVANIA PENTRON T5 lamps are increasingly popular for lighting office buildings, retail stores and warehouses. The lamps are currently used by businesses across North America, including Kikkoman Foods and sporting goods retailer, Sports Authority.

About OSRAM SYLVANIA

OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.sylvania.com.

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