Supply Chain Access Delivers Data and Analysis to Enterprise Technology Users BOSTON--Oct. 17, 2002--Aberdeen Group, a leading provider of technology market consulting and research, announced today the official launch of Supply Chain Access(www.supplychainaccess.com), an enterprise-facing Web site that delivers fresh, actionable insights to purchasing and supply chain managers. "Supply chain professionals' success grows increasingly dependant on a practical understanding of current supply chain technologies," said Tim Minahan, vice president of Supply Chain Research. "Supply Chain Access will offer enterprise buying organizations the tools and insights they need to keep up with current industry trends." Supply Chain Access leverages Aberdeen's industry-tested expertise to decipher the dynamics of supply chain technologies. The contents of the site reflect independent research and analysis by Aberdeen Group's Supply Chain Management research practice. The site is the flagship offering of AberdeenEnterprise - Aberdeen Group's network of business end-user portals. Supply Chain Access shapes best practices among supply managers by offering business end-users the following decision support and analysis tools: * E-Sourcing Index -- Aberdeen's exclusive benchmarking index that tracks enterprises' usage of e-sourcing technologies. The index incorporates data derived from a quarterly survey of the ESI Advisory Council -- a private group of e-sourcing practitioners -- and tracks sourcing volumes, commodities sourced, and savings by commodity. Some findings from the Q2 2002 ESI include: * The ESI Council collectively e-sourced US$75,747,000 worth of goods/services in Q2. * The Council has collectively e-sourced more than $23 billion to date. * The top three spending categories most frequently e-sourced in Q2 2002 were Parts & Assemblies, Services, and IT Products. * Supply Chain 50 -- Aberdeen's exclusive quarterly ranking of the top-performing public supply chain technology companies. Notable Q2 performers included FreeMarkets and MRO Software. Visit Supply Chain Access for the full Q2 2002 SC 50. * Aberdeen Perspective -- Frequently updated analyses of current supply chain news, issues, events, and analysts' field experiences. * Strategy Corner -- Tactics for effectively deploying and managing the digital supply chain, provided by Aberdeen analysts and supported by speeches, presentations, and interviews from industry thought leaders and practitioners. * Supply Chain Interview -- Online conversations with supply chain executives, academics, and practitioners, directed by Aberdeen's Supply Chain Research team. Supply Chain Congress members can ask their own questions of the interviewees. All Supply Chain Access content is free to supply chain professionals, and site membership includes the following benefits: * A delegate seat in Aberdeen's "Supply Chain Congress" -- the pre-eminent virtual assembly of supply chain professionals and best practice leaders * The opportunity to participate in quarterly end-user surveys * FULL and FREE access to all Supply Chain Access research and content * The ability to interact with supply chain thought leaders in real-time * A FREE subscription to "Supply Chain Access Weekly" -- a weekly e-newsletter with site highlights and current supply chain insights from Aberdeen Group. Are you looking for practical and timely intelligence to help you navigate the tumultuous tides of supply chain technology? Register now at www.supplychainaccess.com, and get to work on your digital supply chain!