Westdeutsche Landesbank is preparing to launch an e-procurement marketplace where corporate customers can source office and IT products from suppliers online.
The WestLB Marketplace will open for business on 2 April after a seven month build phase. The service is being managed for the bank by wholly-owned subsidiary WestEK, and using technology provided by California-based Commerce One. The intention is to broaden the range of products offered over the system to eventually include online financial services from Germany's savings banks.
WestEK will be responsible for the implementation and operation of the e-marketplace. Deutsche Telekom's T Systems division is to provide hosting services and links to its Global Trading Web B2B community.
Klaus Killinger, managing director of WestEK says: "An important part of our decision was the facility to link our e-marketplace to the world's largest business-to-business trading community - the Global Trading Web. Furthermore, the partnership of Commerce One with SAP and the resulting seamless connection of our ERP Systems was also an advantage."
Once live, companies participating in the WestLB marketplace will be able to buy office and data processing products online. The bank says the online catalogue will gradually be extended to include product groups like travel, management and energy. In the next phase, the bank intends to offer financial services - such as Electronic Bill Payment and Presentment (EBPP) - via the marketplace.