Stora Enso Chooses INTTRA to Streamline Global Transport/Distribution Systems

October 24, 2005

Parsippany, NJ, October 24, 2005 - Seeking to enhance its electronic communications with ocean carriers and to reduce errors created by manual inputting of booking and shipping instruction data, Stora Enso chose INTTRA as its partner in promoting efficiency.

INTTRA, which is based in Parsippany, N.J., is the largest global ocean e-commerce platform.

"A global leader in integrated paper, packaging and forest products with a worldwide market in the production of publication and fine papers, Stora Enso selected INTTRA's I-Link system-to-system connection because the volumes the company was dealing with made this type of link more viable than a Web-based solution," says Anna Wilhelmsson, Supervisor and Coordinator of the Stora Enso Infologistic Service Support Team.

I-Link provides the tools that enable a supply chain system to connect to INTTRA's multi-carrier network via one simple connection. "INTTRA's I-Link team, located around the world, guides clients through the integration process and helps clients benefit from the industry standards established by INTTRA," according to Michael Nielsen, INTTRA's Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Sales. "INTTRA reduces the costs of owning a private network, and gives users access to the next generation of e-commerce tools to create efficient processes. It also adds value through the availability of new tools and capabilities," says Army Pedersen, General Manager, INTTRA's European region.

Like many companies operating from multiple locations, Stora Enso has struggled with paper-based transactions that duplicate information, create unnecessary errors and generally slow down booking processes and the issuance of shipping instructions. With an annual production capacity of 16.4 million tons of paper and board plus other products, and an annual tonnage of more than 1.2 million shipped out of its Gothenburg, Sweden, and Hamburg, Germany transportation and distribution centers, the company was swamped in paperwork.

Besides streamlining transportation and distribution-related processes, company officials wanted to create a direct link to the Stora Enso carrier base. "In looking to enhance electronic transactions with its carriers, Stora Enso recognized that INTTRA was the system to which the carriers were connected," says Wilhelmsson.

"Between its mills and its carriers worldwide, Stora Enso has a complex supply chain. Different carriers needed to use different interfaces. The idea was to minimize the workload and streamline as many of the processes as possible. During the integration period, systems and processes have been aligned - with, for example, changes to internal coding and keyboard alterations made to reflect different national languages - to allow for seamless communication between Stora Enso's transport and distribution centers and its carriers," adds Wilhelmsson.

The new system has greatly reduced the time it takes to issue booking requests and shipping instructions, ultimately delivering cost savings to Stora Enso. "Now you don't have to sit and wait when the person that you need to speak to is on the line," says Wilhelmsson. "You just send the booking. So you get more shipments done a day and you have more time to deal with the bigger issues."

The seamless chain starts for both booking requests and shipping instructions at the actual paper mills. Pertinent data is electronically uploaded into Stora Enso's operating systems, enabling its transportation and distribution centers to finalize booking requests and shipping instructions. These are then forwarded via INTTRA's I-Link to ocean carriers.

"We've achieved the benefit of a seamless process where the mills are the first line of information. They know what to enter. This data is then in the system from the beginning, so it won't have to be retyped. That will reduce a lot of problems," says Wilhelmsson.

About INTTRA
INTTRA, founded in 2000, is a leading global provider of e-commerce solutions to ocean carriers and their customers. They work with customers to streamline and standardize their shipping processes. INTTRA's professionals specialize in applying their e-commerce knowledge of the shipping industry for customers in local markets around the world.

For further information, visit INTTRA's Web site at www.inttra.com.