Powerful Global E-Commerce Commercial and Interoperable Network Created; Seven International Partners Join Together in Groundbreaking Global Interoperability Group.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 4, 2002

Seven of the most active e-marketplace operators in the world have come together to form the Global Interoperability Group (GIG), a network of horizontal marketplaces within the Global Trading Web Association (GTWA) that will move e-commerce transactions seamlessly around the world.

Through the GIG partners, companies on each of the marketplaces will be able to transact online with trading partners worldwide using one consistent business contract, and be assured of compatibility regardless of the software platforms being used.

All GIG members are e-marketplace operators with proven track records in their respective regions. They cover the Americas, Europe, and Asia; their respective headquarters are:

-- BT Ignite (UK)

-- eScoutSM (USA)

-- HUBWOO (France)

-- IBX (Sweden)

-- Opciona (Spain)

-- SESAMi Inc (Singapore)

-- T-Systems, Deutsche Telekom (Germany)

As members of the GTWA, the world's largest business-to-business Internet trading community, the GIG members build on the strong foundations laid by the GTWA in standard setting for exchange-based trading, education, and the important role it plays as an industry voice on associated issues. Until now, however, companies wishing to trade with buyers and suppliers in other marketplaces have had to negotiate with each individual operator using disparate commercial terms. By working to agree on a more standardized service offering, the new business group will enable companies to launch global procurement projects more rapidly and efficiently, delivering on the promise of seamless global electronic trade.

For e-commerce users, establishing common operational standards between marketplaces, as well as technical and commercial compatibility, is key to enabling successful global e-commerce deployments. Through the GIG, companies will have rapid access to trading partners globally. The marketplaces will be able to support multiple on-ramp platforms, and will also offer an alternative for vertical marketplaces to fulfill their customers' indirect materials procurement needs on a global basis. Building on their individual capabilities, GIG marketplace operators will now be able to offer B2B e-commerce users, regardless of their location, a suite of marketplace solutions:

-- Trading partner adoption and relationship management

-- Content management (e.g., the creation and maintenance of

up-to-date, relevant content for trading partners)

-- Transaction and document management services

-- Value-added business services such as logistics and payment

Today, the seven GIG members represent in excess of 100,000 buyers, more than 1,000 suppliers, and 3.5 million catalogue items. The member marketplaces generate monthly transaction volumes of more than $USD100 million. Their customers include: Alcatel, Atofina, Akzo Nobel, Baulogis, CC Chemplorar, Cisco, Delanto, Deutsche Telekom, e-difica, Eastman Chemical, EDF (Electricite de France), Endesa, Ericsson, IBC, m-exchang, Novo Nordisk, Saint-Gobain, Schneider Electric, SEB, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Telecommunications, ST Microelectronics, Thomson MultiMedia, Utilicorp, Volvo Group, WESTEK, and many others. These marketplace operators see the GIG agreement as the essential next step in the genuine globalization of B2B electronic commerce.

About BT Ignite

BT Ignite -- BT Group's international solutions and broadband business -- is a leading provider of communications services to business and wholesale customers around the world. From e-commerce consultancy and solutions through to core networks and Internet connectivity, BT Ignite delivers across the entire IP value chain with a unique blend of content hosting, application service provision, systems integration and outsourcing capabilities. BT Ignite has established a strong European footprint and controls its own infrastructure. It serves customers through local sales and service support teams, with 54,000 route kilometres of fibre connecting 275 cities and over 20 content hosting centres. BT Ignite delivers worldwide services via its solutions operations and BT Global Business, in conjunction with other partners where required. Further information is available at www.ignite.com.

About eScout

eScoutSM is a leading e-business services provider and marketplaces operator offering an array of hosted e-commerce, purchasing, billing and payment solutions. eScout provides increased operational efficiencies, reduced costs and managed business processes for its clients. eScout powers more than 100 distinct public and private marketplaces and has created an international network of 1,300 banks to help distribute its products and services. eScout's investors include: Mayfield Fund; Oak Hill Venture Partners, L.P.; Citizens Financial Group, Inc.; Harris Bank (NYSE:BMO); Golden State Bancorp Inc. (NYSE:GSB); Bank of Montreal (TSE, NYSE: BMO) and Commerce One (Nasdaq:CMRC). eScout is headquartered at 850 NW Chipman Road, Lee's Summit, MO 64063. Visit http://www.escout.com or call 1-888-SCOUT4U for more information.

About HUBWOO

HUBWOO is the first B2B transactional marketplace to be listed in Europe and specializing in MRO, non-production procurement activities. HUBWOO designs and manages private online marketplaces for large European companies across all business sectors. As such, the company handles entire transactions for non-strategic procurement, thereby reducing the administrative costs associated with these purchases. Working with two of its shareholders, STACI, specialist in MRO procurement logistics, and SAP, world leader in e-commerce software, HUBWOO has been developing its marketplace since early 2000. Today, HUBWOO is the global operator of many marketplaces for multinational business groups. For more information, please visit www.hubwoo.com.

About IBX

IBX is the most powerful business-to-business exchange in northern Europe. It was founded in 2000, and is owned by SEB, Ericsson, b-business partners and Novo Nordisk. The exchange, which was launched in October 2000, gathers and integrates sellers and buyers that seek to make their business transactions more efficient and cost-effective on the Internet. IBX hosts products ranging from high volume office supplies to critical IT-equipment, industry-specific MRO, as well as consultancy services. IBX creates value for both sellers and buyers by allowing efficient transactions and creating a focal point of competence that give connected companies lower costs and competitive advantages.

IBX has about 60 employees. The head office is located in Stockholm. IBX has also established offices in Norway and Denmark. For more information, please visit www.ibxnordic.com.

About Opciona

Opciona offers a varied range of solutions aimed at enabling B2B and e-procurement at large and mid-size corporations and consortia. For this purpose, Opciona has developed three different lines of businesses:

-- Private e-procurement solutions, that include technology and

services designed for the start-up, management and maintenance

of these environments.

-- Operations support services for third-parties e-procurement

platforms by Opciona's specialised personnel.

-- Access to www.opciona.com public MRO e-marketplace and to the

Global Trading Web Association, the largest B2B community in

the world, of which Opciona is a founding partner.

Opciona's shareholders include: Endesa (63% -through its holding Endesa Net Factory), Enersis (15%), PricewaterhouseCoopers (12%) and Commerce One (10%). For more information, please visit www.opciona.com.

About SESAMi Inc

Established as the leading commerce service provider (CSP) in Asia, SESAMi Inc helps companies realize the increased business efficiencies of e-commerce. Through comprehensive strategies built on best-of-breed technologies and e-commerce expertise, SESAMi delivers the full benefits of online B2B commerce by streamlining the entire value chain of companies. To date, SESAMi has 1,700 clients actively trading on its e-hub, SESAMi.NET. The company was set up in September 1999 and now has 150 employees in Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Seoul. Its shareholders include Beijing Enterprises, Commerce One, Eastman Chemical, i-CABLE, Jardine Matheson, New World China Enterprises, Overseas Union Bank, Singapore Telecom, SUNeVision Holdings, Swire Pacific and WI Harper. For more information, please visit www.sesami.com.

About T-Systems

T-Systems International GmbH is Europe's No. 2 systems house, with some 40,000 employees (as of January 31, 2001) and annual revenues of approximately euro 11 billion. Deutsche Telekom has identified solution providing as one of its four strategic growth areas alongside mobile telephony, Internet communications and network access. The new company is the first to combine global capabilities in information technology (IT) and telecommunications. T-Systems draws its strength in IT from debis IT Services--a joint venture between Deutsche Telekom AG (50.1 percent share) and DaimlerChrysler Services AG (49.9 percent)--and its strength in telecommunica-tions from Deutsche Telekom. T-Systems was officially launched on the German market in February 2001, and is represented in more than 20 countries. Further information on the company and its service offering is available online at www.t-systems.com.