Gray adds colour to new e-marketplace

Johannesburg, 08 Mar 2001

PQ Africa has further accelerated its efforts to take South Africa`s R12 billionn B2B household goods industry online by promoting local e-commerce specialist Paddy Gray to spearhead its ambitious e-business drive into this sector.

Gray, currently a Group Executive at PQ Africa`s e-commerce specialist ECnet, has been appointed e-business program executive at PQ Africa to assist with the implementation of The Smart Shed`s B2B electronic marketplace. The independently operated household goods electronic marketplace was created late last year by an alliance of founding members; Comparex, through its South African subsidiary PQ Africa, Unitrans, Steinhoff and leading retailers Lewis, Profurn and Relyant.

Gray will work closely with The Smart Shed MD Keith Roberts to build an "exceptional value proposition" for the participants in this e-marketplace.

Gray`s business acumen and industry knowledge will play a critical role in maximising opportunities and effectively harnessing the diverse range of resources within PQ Africa.

"The complex solution required to increase efficiency and reduce costs in an electronic marketplace requires extensive experience in understanding customers` needs, implementing complex systems and creating partnerships to speed up time-to-market programs," says Peter Watt, CEO of PQ Africa.

"Paddy brings a wealth of business knowledge and more than 15 years of experience across a broad number of business technologies, including EDI, workflow, GroupWare and Electronic Commerce."

Gray has also had experience in managing the Electronic Commerce Division within Persetel`s specialised business unit focused on electronic commerce technologies, and has provided consulting to numerous large corporations in the overall area of electronic commerce.

The appointment demonstrates that PQ Africa is committed to the success of this, the first truly collaborative vertical industry marketplace in Africa. It is also in line with Comparex`s and PQ Africa`s vision of a best of breed integrator of e-business solutions

PQ Africa

PQ Africa (www.pqafrica.co.za) is SA`s leading provider of competitive, innovative and flexible business solutions based on Information and Communications Technology ("ICT"). Comparex Holdings Limited has a 50% minus one share interest in PQ Africa. The black empowerment group NITAC (the National IT Acquisition Consortium), led by Real Africa Holdings Limited, holds a controlling interest of 50% plus one share in PQ Africa.

The Smart Shed (www.thesmartshed.com)

The Smart Shed is a joint venture company formed between South Africa`s major household goods industry players and leading information technology and logistics groups.

Founder members include South Africa`s leading furniture, case goods and bedding manufacturer, Steinhoff, leading IT and Freight & logistics groups Comparex and Unitrans respectively.

Comparex`s South African subsidiary, PQ Africa is the Smart Shed`s preferred IT fulfilment partner while Roadway Logistics, a joint venture between Unitrans and Steinhoff, is its preferred logistics fulfilment partner. Major retail groups Lewis, Profurn and Relyant, which represent almost half of SA`s retail outlets, are the JV`s retail partners.

The company`s primary objective is to create cost savings for participants through an electronic marketplace, or hub, that will focus on the furniture as well as the white and brown goods industries. The e-marketplace will enable participants to conduct their business through this centralised point, via the Internet.

The Smart Shed`s main focus will be to enable collaboration across the entire supply chain, which spans from raw material suppliers through component and finished goods manufacturers and onto the retailers, resulting chain optimisation and resultant significant savings. It will provide full electronic trading capability between all marketplace participants, as well as comprehensive supply chain management and logistics services using best of breed technology solutions.