FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Australia's Largest Foodservice distributor implements Conduit
AUCKLAND, 20 August 2001 - Supply chain Internet application specialist, Conduit International Limited, today announced
an agreement with Australasia's leading foodservice wholesale distributor, Bidvest Australia Limited. The agreement will
see Bidvest implement Conduit's e-business application as their platform for electronic engagement with customers,
currently in implementation and scheduled for launch at the end of August.
The first in the foodservice and hospitality industry to provide business customers online access to their operation,
Bidvest expect to create significant new value for clients, a large number of which operate outside of usual business
hours. The new website will provide 24/7 access to Bidvest systems and the ability to transact and reconcile their
business with the distributor online,
A critical element in Bidvest's selection of Conduit was the organisation's track record in New Zealand. Several of the
country's industry leading distributors use Conduit to deliver their e-business capability, and in doing so are
providing some of the most compelling examples of the benefits of eCommerce on business operations. After four years
experience, Conduit's technology is well-developed and their extensive functionality can be quickly and effectively
implemented, often demonstrating Return On Investment as early as three months after launch.
In addition to Bidvest's product catalogue and order process, the secure website will feature customer specific pricing,
full visibility of account records, and the capability for the customer to establish their own reporting requirements,
providing information on past purchases, price lists and status of orders. This information will be passed on in a
format and at a frequency specified by the customer, directly to an individual's email address.
"The implementation of this on-line trading environment will provide significant benefits to Bidvest's operations,
especially in that it provides full-integration between processes and the back office" says Conduit's Chief Executive
Officer John Hayson
"In the past, lack of attention in this area has been one of the major failings in eCommerce initiatives but with the
Bidvest system full integration will be available from the first day of operation," he says.
Bidvest operates 15 branches throughout Australia with separate warehouses and regional customer relationships. Using
the Bidvest website, customers will be automatically linked to their local Bidvest branch and local information
including inventory. Once placed, their orders will flow through the Bidvest system and be dispatched from the local
Bidvest warehouse. Bidvest's new website will be launched at the Sydney Fine Food Fair, August 27-30th a major event for
the foodservice and hospitality industries.
Following the August launch, Bidvest will roll out the website to its 20,000 customers around Australia. Bidvest's
customers range from hotels and restaurants to caterers and mining camps. The company recently acquired John Lewis
Foodservice, taking turnover in Australia too more than $700 million (NZ $875 million). Over the remainder of 2001 the
new subsidiary will be integrated into Bidvest's infrastructures and their customers given access to the web services.
Conduit Background
Conduit is a supply chain specialist organisation. The company's primary goal is to use Internet technology to make
clients' business transactions more effective. Its core business is supplying and hosting Internet-based supply chain
applications, developed in-house or in partnership with other leading software application providers.
These applications take business-to-business supply chains and distribution to an electronic environment, creating
cost-efficiencies for clients. Conduit's applications are provided in a hosted environment allowing clients to focus on
their core revenue-generating business.
Conduit International Limited (www.thewebconduit.com ) is a subsidiary of Renaissance Corporation, a technology company
listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, with a 17% holding by the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) Conduit was
formed in 1997 as a solutions group to support Renaissance Corporation. The company's core intellectual property was
originally developed in response to Renaissance's need to identify a strategy for cost-reduction and competitive
advantage in the New Zealand Information Technology market.
-ENDS-
For further information, please call:
Justine Pellett Chief Communications Officer 09 915 9100 Business 021 626 604 Mobile
Marie Weeks mweeks@hillandknowlton.com 09 367 6370 Business 021 702 196 Mobile