ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. Drives Trading Efficiencies with INTTRA; Major commodities merchandiser leverages INTTRA-LINK ocean logistics execution capabilities to enhance customer service.

Business Editors

PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 2002

INTTRA (www.inttra.com), the leading provider of business-to-business ocean freight transportation services, today announced that ECOM Agroindustrial Corporation Ltd. (www.ecomtrading.com), one of the world's leading coffee merchants, has implemented the INTTRA-LINK solution to more effectively manage ocean transportation for its network of forwarders and consignees.

Osvaldo de Lima, Chief Information Officer of ECOM, said, "INTTRA-LINK integrates directly with the ECOM back-office system, enabling us to provide an integrated solution to our customers and carriers. This solution delivers cost efficiencies to ECOM operations while enabling supply chain partners improved visibility across all ocean-going cargo."

As one of the leading coffee merchants worldwide, ECOM boasts an annual turnover of nine million bags, which represents over eight per cent of global coffee trade. The company is also a leading processor and merchandiser of cotton and cocoa.

ECOM operates on the worldwide agricultural commodities market, serving as an origination company for coffee, cotton, and cocoa. ECOM is leveraging INTTRA-LINK to streamline operations, reduce processing errors, and improve cost savings. INTTRA-ACT will enable consignees and other logistics providers to more effectively plan and manage resources by monitoring ocean-going cargo via a single portal.

With trading houses in Switzerland and New York, ECOM ships primarily to the United States, Europe, and Japan. ECOM has successfully implemented the INTTRA-LINK solution at its Brazil site, and plans expansion to more origin offices in the next few weeks.

Tom Outwin, Vice President Sales Americas for INTTRA, said, "As a leader in the Latin American market, ECOM recognized that INTTRA-LINK could help drive improvements throughout its logistics process while improving communications among supply chain partners. ECOM is a valued business partner and we look forward to working with its transportation and IT teams to deploy INTTRA capabilities into additional locations around the globe."

INTTRA offers a standardized ocean logistics execution platform to shippers, consignees, and logistics providers around the world and is sponsored by many of the world's leading ocean carriers. The INTTRA network provides connected access to almost 50 percent of all global ocean containerized shipments through connections to leading software or via INTTRA-ACT and INTTRA-LINK.

INTTRA is utilized globally and has managed more than 970,000 bookings and 5 million container events since its inception.

About ECOM

ECOM Agroindustrial Corporation Ltd, (www.ecomtrading.com) is a fully integrated commodity origination and processing family of companies with a global presence. From its roots in Barcelona in the 1840s, ECOM has grown into an international group of companies. Its original focus in the Americas is now complemented by operations in Asia and Africa.

In 1885, the Group expanded from Spain to New York. The American operation moved to Savannah, Georgia then New Orleans, Louisiana before centering in Dallas, Texas. From the United States, the Group established businesses in Brazil in 1935 and in Mexico in 1948; in turn, these operations expanded throughout North, Central, and South America.

With the increasing levels of business, offices and agencies were established throughout the world. Today, ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. Ltd is a leading processor and merchandiser of coffee, cotton and cocoa in major producing and consuming countries, with ancillary agricultural operations in oilseeds and hogs.

About INTTRA

Incorporated in January 2001 and financially sponsored by a group of leading global carriers and logistics providers, INTTRA drives efficiencies into the ocean transportation industry by streamlining and standardizing traditionally inefficient processes.

INTTRA enables shippers, freight forwarders, third party logistics providers, brokers, importers, and industry portals to manage the booking documentation and tracking of cargo across multiple shipping lines in a single integrated process.

With headquarters in Parsippany, NJ, U.S.A., and offices in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Hong Kong, China, INTTRA meets today's demand for simplicity, transparency, neutrality, and confidentiality across the global supply chain, and delivers connectivity by establishing global shipping standards.

The collective INTTRA carrier network includes Alianca, ANL, CMA CGM, Columbus Line, Crowley American Transport, DAL Deutsche Afrika-Linien, Hamburg Sud, Hapag-Lloyd, Kuehne & Nagel International AG, Maersk Sealand, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., NYK Line, P&O Nedlloyd, Safmarine, and United Arab Shipping Company.

For additional information, contact your INTTRA participating carrier or visit INTTRA's Web site at www.inttra.com.

INTTRA, INTTRA-ACT and INTTRA-LINK are trademarks or registered trademarks, service marks or registered service marks of INTTRA. All other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.