Up to 2,500 building contractors are getting direct internet links to Travis Perkins and Jewson in a major new development for online building materials trading.
The system, launched by software company Ramesys and called Xchange, is to go live in June and will allow merchants to buy goods electronically from Travis Perkins and Jewson via online catalogues.
A document exchange facility allows contractors to fill-out web order forms and is claimed to cut the costs associated with standard forms of procurement.
Frank Smith, Travis Perkins’ IT director, said: ‘This technology is embryonic at the moment – only EDI is used to a widespread extent now – but it remains to be seen what will happen to this in two years’ time.’
