COMPUTER HORIZONS ACQUIRES XPRESS SOLUTION FROM COMMERCE ONE
CHC Takes Leadership Position in Data Synchronization Services;
Strengthens Vertically Focused Solutions Strategy
Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, September 12, 2003 – Computer Horizons Corp. ("CHC") (Nasdaq: CHRZ), a strategic solutions and professional services company, announced today that it has acquired the Xpress solution, a suite of software and services designed to rapidly facilitate product data synchronization between trading partners, from Commerce One (Nasdaq: CMRC). Xpress, which includes the Xpress Messenger‘ and Xpress Conveyer‘ products, and the Xpress Workshop‘ and Xpress Start‘ services, will become Computer Horizons’ flagship solution in the consumer goods vertical market and will anchor the company’s new Supply Chain Practice. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Xpress suite of software and services is designed to help trading partners synchronize product data through the UCCnet GLOBALregistry. The Xpress suite includes data integration tools, training workshops and support services that are geared specifically toward streamlining the integration process and insuring that consumer products companies quickly gain the full benefits of data synchronization. Through acquiring this practice, CHC now has the capability to get its customers online with UCCnet in a matter of weeks.
UCCnet is a non-profit, neutral organization that maintains the UCCnet GLOBALregistry, a directory of product catalog data. Through UCCnet, trading partners can synchronize product data, resulting in more accurate invoicing, reduced data entry requirements and faster concept-to-shelf time. UCCnet is quickly becoming the worldwide data synchronization standard. Wal-Mart recently mandated that all of its suppliers synchronize product data through UCCnet by early 2004.
The benefits of data synchronization to consumer products companies are significant. In an April 2003 report, AMR Research stated, "If CPG [consumer packaged goods] companies ever want to truly shift gears from push to pull, data synchronization is crucial. It will be the foundation of a two-way flow of product, promotion and sales data and the enabler for true collaboration and emerging technologies like RFID [radio frequency identification]. The end result will be a Consumer-Connected Supply Network within which manufacturers and customers will be able to forecast promotion lift, predict consumer demand and identify the profitability of products and channels more accurately."
The financial numbers also support the case for data synchronization. The AMR Research report stated, "$2.1 billion will be squandered over the next five years on B2B initiatives unless manufacturers and retailers develop a platform to support data synchronization first." The report continued, "Currently, the lack of insight [of consumer products companies that have not implemented data synchronization initiatives] has resulted in either bare shelves or flooded inventory channels, the latter of which causes CPG retailers to throw millions of dollars in trade funds to clear channels of unwanted products, cannibalizing the sales of higher margin products."
Computer Horizons intends to retain all 25 Commerce One Xpress customers and will also acquire key Commerce One team members and their relationships with existing and prospective Xpress customers.
"We are pleased about this opportunity, afforded to us because Commerce One made the decision to focus sharply on its Conductor‘ product line. This acquisition is further evidence of Computer Horizons’ commitment to growing our Solutions business through a portfolio of vertically oriented solutions," said George Brucia, President of CHC’s Solutions Division. "Xpress perfectly complements our existing capabilities and will be an important addition to our data management and compliance solutions portfolios. As often is the case at CHC, our entry into this market stemmed from a customer requirement. We anticipate that UCCnet solutions will be a springboard for growth at CHC and going forward, we will work with Commerce One as a strong partner to integrate the UCCnet data synch solution to its existing Conductor platform."
As part of the agreement, CHC will become a systems integrator, independent software vendor and reseller partner of Commerce One and Commerce One Conductor will be CHC`s preferred enterprise application integration solution. Correspondingly, Commerce One will become a reseller of the Xpress Suite for CHC.
Moving forward, CHC and Commerce One will work together to leverage the synergies available between CHC’s UCCnet data synchronization solutions and Commerce One’s Conductor composite process management platform. This cooperation will allow both CHC and Commerce One to offer their respective customers and prospects solutions that effectively address the business needs for both data synchronization and the enterprise management processes that the data is required to support.
"We see Computer Horizons as both a valuable partner and industry leader who is committed to offering the scale and best-of-breed services in UCCnet data synchronization solutions that customers require," said Mark Hoffman, chairman and CEO of Commerce One. "We believe this transaction assures that the Xpress technology we pioneered within UCCnet will continue to deliver new value and capabilities to the market. And further, it allows Commerce One to increase its focus on the sale and marketing of its Commerce One Conductor composite process management platform."
For more information on data synchronization services from Computer Horizons, please contact the Company via email at uccnet@computerhorizons.com, or by phone at (800) 321-2421.
About Computer Horizons Corp.
Computer Horizons Corp. (Nasdaq: CHRZ) is a strategic solutions and professional services company with more than thirty years of experience, specifically in information technology. The Company provides its services to a multi-national audience through its "bestshore" delivery centers located globally, and enabling its Fortune 2000 customer base to maximize technology investments. With the recent acquisition of RGII Technologies, Inc., CHC has expanded its government practice to include the Federal government sector, a growing market, in addition to various other vertical markets it serves, such as healthcare, insurance and financial services. CHC’s wholly owned subsidiary, Chimes, uses its proprietary technology to enable its Global 2000 customer base to align and integrate business planning with human resource management across an enterprise’s business functions. For more information on Computer Horizons, please visit our Web site at www.computerhorizons.com.
About Commerce One
From its initial roots in Internet-based software applications to its establishment of the world`s largest e-commerce trading network, Commerce One has consistently been at the forefront of delivering advanced technologies that help global businesses collaborate with their partners, customers and suppliers over the Internet. Commerce One has defined many of the open standards and protocols established for business networks today and our global customer base represent leaders in a wide range of industries. The Commerce One Conductor platform and planned industry-specific Process Accelerators represent the leading Composite Process Management solution that enable enterprises to combine and connect features, functionality, data and/or business context from existing applications to create new business functionality.
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in the foregoing are "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. It is possible that the assumptions made by management—including, but not limited to, those relating to contract awards, service offerings, market opportunities, results, performance expectations, expectations of cost savings, or proceeds from sale of certain operations—may not materialize.
Actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements. In addition to the above factors, other important factors include the risks associated with unforeseen technical difficulties, the ability to meet customer requirements, market acceptance of service offerings, changes in technology and standards, the ability to complete cost-reduction initiatives, the ability to execute the sale of certain operations or other initiatives, dependencies on key employees, customer satisfaction, availability of technical talent, dependencies on certain technologies, delays, market acceptance and competition, as well as other risks described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases, and other communications.
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CONTACT:
David Unger, Vice President Practice Mgmt.
David Reingold, Sr. Vice President, Marketing, IR
Computer Horizons Corp.
(973) 299-4000
Investors:
Lauren Felice
RF Binder Partners
(212) 994-7541
lauren.felice@rfbinder.com
Media:
Kate Rothen
RF Binder Partners
(212) 994-7537
kate.rothen@rfbinder.com
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