AMS Realizes ROI and Provides Better Customer Service by Responding to Requests for Quotes Faster

Pasadena, CA – January 8, 2002 – eConnections, Inc., the leading provider of extended supply chain intelligence solutions for the electronics industry, announced today that Advanced Material Solutions (AMS) has realized cost savings by quickly and accurately exchanging quote-related information through eConnections Quote Manager, "Quotility." eConnections Quote Manager is the only Web-native application that is designed specifically for managing quotes in the electronics industry and offers connections to a community of more than 1,500 of the world's leading suppliers, distributors and manufacturers' representatives.

In April 2001, contract electronics manufacturer AMS replaced its traditional "four-walls" quote management solution with Quote Manager. Since then, AMS has realized a range of benefits that are contributing to the company's business performance, including:
· Ability to prepare quotes up to three times faster and cut the entire quote process in half, allowing AMS to respond faster to its OEM customers.
· Rapid deployment via the hosted, 100 percent Web-native solution, removing the need to install or configure hardware and software. The solution was operational in three days.
· Fast access to AMS' preferred suppliers, who are all members of the eConnections community.
· Decisions based on more accurate information, since quote information is easier to navigate and can be automatically downloaded, eliminating manual errors.

"Quote Manager has removed the manual costs we used to face by automating the quote process and allowing us to reach all of our suppliers one-on-one through a single platform," said Tom Smith, vice president of sales. "At the same time, Quote Manager enables us to compete more effectively by providing our customers with better project quotes – faster."

The process of providing AMS' OEM customers with fast, competitive bill of material (BOM) quotes is complex. AMS typically manages 10-15 new quotes each week, and each one consists of 100-200 line items. In the past, AMS had implemented a traditional "four-walls" quote application. However, much of the information still had to be entered manually, a time-consuming process that was susceptible to errors, and the software didn't provide the direct links into supply chain partners' systems. The result was a range of time delays, which translated into additional costs for AMS.

AMS has subscribed to the eConnections Quote Manager service because of the ability to automate the quote process, as well as get up and running quickly via an easy-to-use interface and existing links to AMS' suppliers.

AMS has been able prepare quotes in one-third the time by leveraging domain intelligence embedded as eConnections rules (eCRs) in Quote Manager. For example, AMS used eConnections Quote Manager to provide a firm-fixed price to one of the large OEMs that support the US Government's demands for special electronics. The request for quote (RFQ) included 12 BOMs that totaled about 1,200 common line items. By using eConnections Quote Manager, AMS was able to compile the information needed for the firm quote within five business days instead of the fifteen business days previously required. This included the cost for printed circuit boards, labor and many hard to find single-source components.

Because eConnections Quote Manager delivers quotes in the data formats preferred by AMS and its suppliers, all of these supply chain partners can eliminate inaccuracies and unnecessary delays. Weighted reporting with Quote Manager also makes it fast and easy for AMS to sort through quotes to determine the best offers for its customers.

"The ROI that AMS has achieved with the eConnections Quote Manager, the first service in our suite of hosted extended supply chain intelligence solutions for the electronics industry, demonstrates the power of automated best practices combined with established links to the electronics community," said Rob Rodin, president and CEO, eConnections.

About AMS
Advanced Material Solutions is a leader in providing turnkey manufacturing and kitting services with a strong focus on materials management. Customers understand that materials play a vital role in improving delivery and lowering the overall cost of their electronic hardware products and look to Advanced Material Solutions for experienced support. Information is available by contacting the Advanced Material Solutions Sales Department at (408) 635-4200 or sales@amsmrp.com. Advanced Material Solutions is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

About eConnections
eConnections is the leading provider of extended supply chain intelligence solutions specifically designed for collaboration to manage the electronics industry's global marketplace. eConnections offers hosted supply chain services that combine embedded domain expertise with authorized connections to a community of more than 1,500 of the world's leading suppliers, distributors, and manufacturers' representatives. eConnections provides electronics companies with trusted, net-native solutions that streamline the complexity of the supply chains in which they operate and enable them to get the right product to the right place, at the right time, in the most efficient way possible. eConnections, a privately held company, is headquartered in Pasadena, Calif. For more information, please visit www.eConnections.com.