Data Pool to Give Competitive Edge to Spanish Businesses

GXS and GS1 Spain Partner to Create Advanced, GDSN-Compliant Data Pool for Spanish Retailers and Suppliers

GXS, a leading provider of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce solutions, and GS1 Spain today announced an agreement to develop and manage a highly-advanced, global data synchronisation network (GDSN)-compliant data pool.  Through this data pool, called AECOC Data, more than 21,000 companies, manufacturers and suppliers throughout Spain will be able to synchronise product data and share pricing and promotional information with trading partners anywhere in the world.

Scheduled for launch in May 2006, the data pool will be part of the GDSN and will be the one of the first GDSN-compliant data pools to include secure pricing and promotional information.  The new data pool will level the playing field for Spanish retailers and suppliers, enabling them to compete more effectively with their foreign counterparts by allowing item information to be exchanged on a global basis.  For Spanish businesses, worldwide trade becomes easier and more efficient and product accessibility and availability is improved both inside and outside Spain.  Additionally, through GS1 Spains partnership with GXS, AECOC Data members will be well positioned to capitalise on advanced technologies, including radio frequency identification (RFID), for which correct, standardised data is a prerequisite.

The new version of AECOC Data will open a new era for our members, combining GDSN-compliance and a focus on the specific needs of the Spanish market.  Success in data synchronisation is not possible if small and medium-sized businesses cannot participate, and it is our main priority to ensure that they can, said Jose Maria Bonmati, general manager of GS1 Spain.  The new AECOC Data will provide strong support to these companies while enabling them to have greater penetration in global markets.  It also represents an opportunity for foreign suppliers to synchronise data with Spanish retailers more efficiently.

Although AECOC Data existed previously and enjoyed broad adoption by Spanish retailers and suppliers, it was not GDSN-compliant.  GS1 Spain selected GXS Data Pool Manager (DPM) to boost the capabilities of the Spain data pool, and to lower the barriers to adoption of global data synchronisation.  In addition, GXS and GS1 Spain will provide new features generally not available through other data pools.  The first is price and promotion synchronisation, which enables retailers to be electronically notified of any special product promotions and temporary or permanent pricing changes. In addition, the new data pool will feature a connection to AECOC Media, enabling companies to exchange images of products and detailed descriptions of those images in promotional leaflets, online retail stores and in-store displays.  Altogether, this new data pool will give AECOC Data a leadership position in promotions management.

GXS understands and appreciates the importance of enabling access to consistent, high quality product data throughout a global supply chain. Thanks to the creation of data pools and broader GDSN-adoption, retailers and suppliers are no longer limited to doing business in their own geographic markets, said Ross Curtis, senior vice president, worldwide field operations at GXS.  That is one of the primary reasons we are leading the way in enabling the adoption of global data synchronisation - to eliminate geographic and language boundaries, and to help make the global marketplace a reality.  Through this new data pool, Spain will be at the forefront of this trend and will put its businesses in a prime position to reap the benefits.

Today, AECOC Data has more than 250 users, 100,000 Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) and 20 retailers, and activity in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and Hardlines categories.  Some of Spains largest retailers are giving support to this project including El Corte Ingles, Carrefour, Alcampo, Makro, Eroski and Leroy Merlin.  A number of these companies already utilise master data alignment, which will help to speed their implementation of the GDSN-compliant data pool.

With GXS DPM, GS1 Spain will be taking advantage of the leading platform for GDSN enablement.  GXS powers more GS1-certified data pools than any other service provider worldwide.  These data pools span 22 countries including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom, among others.