Four51, a Minneapolis-based e-procurement provider serving the print materials market, has unveiled a Supplier Partnership Program, which will help manufacturers and suppliers promote e-solutions to their independent distributors. Under the program, suppliers will be able to offer financial incentives to their existing distributor partners in exchange for the distributor's agreement to subscribe to Four51. Together, the partners will promote and support the independent distribution channel, reduce operating costs for suppliers and distributors, lower suppliers' marketing costs and improve productivity, and increase sales from existing buyers. "We've spoken to many, many suppliers who derive the bulk of their business from independent distributors," said Gary Nemcek, Four51's co-founder and COO. 'They believe in the channel's long-term viability and they want to try to help their distributors identify and adopt technology that will improve customer-and supplier-relationships." Distributors are crucial to the printers they serve, noted Nemcek. "These printers are small- to mid-size companies with fewer than 100 employees. They want to focus on being great printers. They rely on the distributors to be their sales force and provide them with the print volume they need to survive," said Nemcek. "Suppliers have told us that they could save as much as $30 per order if their distributors would send orders via Four51," Nemcek said. "Add that to shroter cycle times and fewer errors, and there are significant economic benefits for the supplier." For more information, write to [email protected] or visit www.four51.com.