Graybar Selects Hubspan for External Integration

Graybar Selects Hubspan for External Integration

SEATTLE, Wash. (August 22, 2002) – Hubspan, the leading global provider of outsidethe-firewall integration solutions, today announced that Graybar, the leading distributor of telecommunications, networking and electrical products and services, has selected the Hubspan service to provide seamless supply chain integration between Graybar and a broad range of key Graybar customers.

Recognized as a leader in the electrical and comm/data distribution industry by Forbes, Business Week and Fortune, Graybar is nearly a $5 billion, employee-owned corporation. Graybar distributes 1.4 million products made by 4,100 manufacturers worldwide.

This integration will allow Graybar to proactively address customer requirements while achieving operational efficiencies through real-time integration of purchase order, purchase order acknowledgement, invoice and punch-out business processes.

Through a single connection to Hubspan, Graybar will gain a comprehensive solution for every aspect of trading partner integration requirements, including Integration Tools, Network Services and Transaction Processing Infrastructure.

“Graybar’s leading-edge information technology and logistics capabilities are raising the bar on performance and value for its customers and suppliers,” said Deb Weis, Graybar director of e-Business. “Hubspan is a perfect fit because it offers us the fastest, most efficient way to respond to our customers and suppliers’ needs for outside-the-firewall integration. In just a few weeks, a single connection to Hubspan will enable Graybar to securely and reliably exchange important business processes with a wide variety of key customers and business partners.”

“Graybar is well-known and recognized throughout the electrical, telecommunications, networking and supply chain management industries for utilizing technology to better meet the needs of its customers and suppliers,” said Al Higginson, Hubspan CEO. “Its decision to use Hubspan reflects the growing realization by many Fortune 1000 companies that Hubspan’s transaction delivery network model is the optimal way for
companies to integrate with multiple trading partners.”

Hubspan is a pioneer in the emerging Transaction Delivery Network space and provides a complete solution for companies to cost-effectively and conveniently create and maintain integration with external partners. The Hubspan Service integrates business processes ranging from PunchOut and Round Trip to real-time exchange of static documents such as purchase orders and invoices, as well as provides network infrastructure for private and public trading communities.

About Graybar

St. Louis-based Graybar, a Fortune 500 company, is a specialist in supply management services and the leading distributor of equipment and materials for the construction, telecommunications, networking, industrial, commercial and utilities industries. One of the largest employee-owned companies in the United States, Graybar has distribution centers throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.graybar.com.

About Hubspan

Hubspan connects businesses with their trading partners. The Hubspan service is a comprehensive solution for managing all the complex and time-consuming tasks of trading partner integration – beginning with understanding individual business and technology requirements through configuration, deployment and on-going support. A single connection to the Hubspan service gives businesses the fastest and most convenient way to connect to multiple trading partners. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Hubspan’s growing list of valued customers and business partners includes companies such as PC Connection, Office Depot, and ImageX. Hubspan and the Hubspan logo are trademarks of Hubspan, Inc.