(Hong Kong, 26 April 2000) Hutchison Whampoa's E-commerce Resources Limited has announced the formation of a B2B vertical portal specially designed and catered for buyers and suppliers engaged in the procurement of plastics materials. Several largest Hong Kong and Mainland toy manufacturers who are also main buyers in the industry have agreed to join in as strategic alliance partners of the portal. They include Harbour Ring International Holdings Ltd, Artin International (Holdings) Ltd, Blue Box Holdings Ltd, Early Light International (Holdings) Ltd, Forward Winsome Industries Ltd, Jetta Co Ltd, Lung Cheong International Holdings Ltd, Qualidux Industrial Co Ltd, RBI Holdings Ltd and Wah Shing Toys Co Ltd.

Schedule to be launched in the third quarter of 2000, the new portal will offer a wide range of e-commerce services covering all aspects of the procurement process to over 200 companies in the related industry. The services include on-line purchasing and logistics support, electronic documentation system, electronic order and transaction process etc.

Through this neutral, secure e-marketplace, HK and Asia buyers will be able to access suppliers and product information worldwide, allowing them to enjoy better pricing with collective buying power in the most cost-effective manner.

The portal will also provide additional support to buyers in the related industries by means of its procurement centre and a resource centre. Through the procurement centre, buyers can access directories of suppliers and product information, technical data, and other value-added services such as logistics management and payment services etc. The resource centre of the portal will also provide the users with a wide range of community services including bulletin boards and business referral, and technical support such as application integration.

"We are delighted to be able to assist the plastic industry, one of the key industries in Hong Kong with a turnover of more than HK$50 billion, to migrate into the e-world. With the keen support of the key industry players, we are confident that this portal will not only be the first, but also the most efficient and sophisticated portal in the related area," said Sammy Tse, CEO of Hutchison's E-Commerce Resources.

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