Web Sightings

Some of MetalSpectrum’s partners include: Alcoa, AK Steel, Allegheny Technologies, Castle Metals, Chase Brass, Kaiser Aluminum, North American Stainless, Olin Brass, Outokumpu American Brass, Pechiney Rolled Products, Reynolds Aluminum Supply Company, TW Metals, Thyssen North America and Vincent Metal Goods/Atlas Ideal Metals.

Coremarkets.com Eliminates Commissions

CoreMarkets.com, New York, has eliminated commission fees at its metals trading Web site. The change became effective Oct. 1. CoreMarkets CEO Howard Feldman says the increasing acceptance and receptivity to online marketplaces led to the decision to eliminate commission charges.

“The inherent efficiencies of the Internet demand that the market reconsiders traditional trading economics and deliver greater value to both buyers and sellers,” he says. “We believe this announcement serves as a major industry breakthrough that will drive down operating costs for buyers and sellers.”

New tools for online trading will also be released at the site that are specifically designed for the raw materials market in late fall.

Strategic Alliance Announced

Aluminium.com, New York, and Vitria Technology, Sunnyvale, Calif., have announced a strategic alliance. The companies will use Vitria’s BusinessWare product to develop standards for the sharing of information by buyers and sellers through the Internet.

“The alliance of aluminium.com and Vitria will address one of the metals industry’s largest problems: how to more efficiently manage supply chain and customer interactions,” says Harry Simpson, president and COO of aluminium.com.

Vitria will allow aluminium.com to automate exchanges between the information systems of aluminium.com and participants of its marketplace. For example, if an aluminum buyer submits a request for a particular tonnage of material, an automatic message will be sent notifying that the message was received, check inventory of various suppliers and respond to the buyer with pricing and availability for the item. When a trade is completed, the details can automatically be fed into the buyers’ ERP system to generate a purchase order.

Cat Integrates E-Commerce

Caterpillar Corp., Peoria, Ill., has signed an agreement with EssentialMarkets to allow Cat’s small and medium-sized suppliers to integrate into the international manufacturer’s e-procurement system. Initially, Caterpillar’s product catalogs will be posted on the Internet so both CAT and its suppliers can use CAT’s procurement system.

VerticalZoom Selects ContractorHub.com For Top 100

ContractorHub.com has been selected by VerticalZoom as a Top 100 B2B e-commerce technology provider. The award is given to those who show high levels of service, value and efficiency. While the award was given to a range of industries, only four construction companies were featured.

ContractorHub.com provides an e-procurement engine and Invitation to Bid System known at the Hub. The sites’ customer base includes suppliers, wholesalers and manufacturers.

EBN Publisher Sells Domain Name

The publisher of Environmental Building News, BuildingGreen Inc., has sold its former Internet domain name, ebuild.com, to Hanley-Wood, publisher of several construction trade publications.

The deal transfers both the domain registration and all other rights to the ebuild name. “As the Internet has exploded, the name ebuild has gained a lot of value to others, while losing its usefulness to us,” says Alex Wilson, president of BuildingGreen, Brattleboro, Vt.

When the domain name was originally launched by BuildingGreen, the e in ebuild was meant to infer environment and ecology. Now the e has come to stand for electronic as in e-mail and e-commerce. The name no longer conveyed what the company originally intended.

BuildingGreen Inc. now uses the BuildingGreen domain name instead of ebuild.

Metalinfo.com Introduces 'Ask the Expert'

Metalinfo.com now offers subscribers a free service to a virtual metallurgy department of industry experts. The “Ask the Expert” feature allows users to consult experts in the field for technical advice. “Ask the Expert” is customized so internal experts at subscriber companies answer company-specific questions. Metalinfo.com also provides searchable company directories, metals standards and company profiles to subscribers.

Metalmaker.com Names VP, Marketing Director

Ted Kostilnik has been named vice president of Business Development and Michael A. Castro as director of marketing at MetalMaker.com, Chicago. Kostilnik will be responsible for developing and maintaining business relationships within the metal-producing community. He has more than 20 years experience in the business.

Castro will oversee public relations, advertising and trade show promotions. He will also be responsible for creating MetalMarker’s branding strategy. He has more than 16 years experience in the metals industry and most recently served as marketing manager/web manager for Superior Graphite Co., Chicago.

Recyclenet Has Succesful Second Quarter

RecycleNet Corp. has announced the company experienced a favorable second quarter, with sales at 613% over what they were at the same period last year. Paul Roszel, chairman of RecyleNet Corp. was pleased with the results and the improved second quarter results have shown more than 100%top and bottom line growth over the first quarter.