SESAMi.com opens the door to HK B2B marketplace
by Ariel Tam
HONG KONG, 25 May 2000 - SESAMi.com, a provider of end-to-end business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce solutions and operator of SESAMi.NET, a B2B e-marketplace, today launched its office in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
"We are delighted to be expanding our presence into Hong Kong," said Lee Kwok Cheong, chairman of SESAMi.com. "E-commerce is today radically altering the business environment as businesses increasingly embrace business-to-business e-commerce. The volume of B2B e-commerce in this region is expected to double this year. SESAMi.com has the expertise to help brick-and-mortar companies in Hong Kong rapidly transform themselves into market makers on the Net."
SESAMi.com enters the market at a time when B2B e-commerce is expected to increase exponentially in Hong Kong SAR. Research group Gartner forecasts that the B2B e-commerce market in the Asia Pacific region (outside of Japan) will reach US$1 trillion in 2004.
Poh Mui Hoon, managing director of SESAMi.com said, "We bring together buyers and suppliers through our partner management methodologies, as well as manage catalog content provided by suppliers. This ensures high quality searchable content for our customers. Our operations are round the clock, throughout the year. In short, SESAMi.com provides a complete and working B2B solutions for our customers."
SESAMi.com has and will continue to work with strategic partners that bring technologies and services to effectively play the role of a commerce service provider. Technology providers include Commerce One, a provider of global e-commerce solutions for businesses and OnDisplay Asia-Pacific, a sell-side B2B solution provider.
Business services such as payment and fulfilment are available online on SESAMi.NET so that SESAMi's customers can conduct their business interactions from the desktop.
SESAMi.com's business service providers include BDP Asia-Pacific, a global
logistics and supply chain management company, Overseas
Union Bank Ltd, a consumer and regional bank, and TradeCard, a B2B e-commerce enabler focusing on cross-border trade.
SESAMi.com's implementation partners for Hong Kong include PricewaterhouseCoopers,
a global professional services organisation, and NCSI
Hong Kong, an enterprise and e-commerce consulting and systems integration services provider.
SESAMi.com will adopt a two-pronged approach for Hong Kong to address the needs of different companies: an enterprise
and ASP (Application Service Provider) services model.
The enterprise approach will apply to companies that need
end-to-end integration of their B2B e-commerce applications to their in-house backend systems.
SESAMi.com also plans to launch its ASP service for e-marketplaces and e-auctions to enable companies to trade
online.
SESAMi.com will also co-brand "Buying Clubs" with strategic service partners who wish to provide their
clients with procurement services. Customers will have immediate access to a pool of buyers and suppliers, from
industries such as chemical, electronics, retail, office supplies, construction and healthcare through SESAMi.NET.
SESAMi.com will continue to collaborate with selected industry partners who are keen to co-invest in e-marketplaces
for vertical communities such as chemical, electronics, retail and distribution.
One such initiative is ChemX, SESAMi's B2B e-marketplace developed exclusively to serve the needs of the growing
and fast-paced industry, which was launched in Singapore recently.
"The B2B marketplace is
becoming over-crowded. There will be a consolidation of players in the B2B market with a few key players remaining.
SESAMi.com intends to be a leading player in this arena," Lee said.
