Endorsia (www.endorsia.com), the global e-business venture owned jointly by SKF, Timken, INA, Sandvik and Rockwell Automation, offers buyers an integrated Web-based platform for purchasing premium-brand products and services. “More than 1,000 buyers are now connected to our system,” says Sven-Olof Husmark, Endorsia’s vice president of business development, and business is at a record high for the four-year-old company – 1.4 million order lines were placed in the system during 2003.

Endorsia offers companies two ways of doing business, the Pyramid Buyer and the Buyer Adapter. The Pyramid Buyer is an online application that streamlines the buyer-seller relationship and connects to supplier catalogues. The Buyer Adapter is a software solution that integrates and automates buyer-seller interaction.

The Pyramid Buyer uses the Internet instead of faxes and phones to connect buyers and sellers. “It makes the relationship between buyers and suppliers more cost-effective,” says Husmark.

Connecting to the Pyramid Buyer is a relatively straightforward process. The initial application can be made at http://endorsia.mro.com and involves requesting access to specific suppliers. Once supplier approval is secured, the buying company signs a basic access agreement, and Endorsia provides a login and password. “It is a very quick process,” Husmark says.

The Buyer Adapter is a software alternative, developed by Endorsia, that allows buyers to place orders using their own purchasing systems. “It allows for a totally automated process, both for the buyer and the supplier,” says Husmark.

Volume is the determining factor in deciding which approach to choose. High-volume buyers may prefer the Buyer Adapter option.