TRW Claims Better e-Biz Portal

TRW Aeronautical Systems is launching its new Internet portal today, terming it an asset that's immediately available to all of the company's suppliers and customers, constituting an enrichment of TRW's reputation for service-and a rolling reinforcement for day-to-day revenues.

There's been a lot of hype about Internet service, says TRW president and CEO Ken Maciver, who claims that underneath the noise his firm has been developing a genuinely valuable e-business portal.

"What we are introducing is a fully integrated supply chain operation, not soon, or in prospect, but here and now, unlike some of the more publicized portals," he says.

"We have developed a capability to deal seamlessly with our suppliers, within our own organization, and out to our customers, not only in more conventional purchasing operations, but in field engineering, and CAD/CAM drawings, to achieve a very high degree of engineering collaboration.

"We have been carrying out major initiatives to support the enterprise," Maciver says "and the service is now fully integrated with our own internal systems."

The service, available via a single log-in, will allow real-time collaborative engineering with customers and suppliers, letting airlines place repair work through TRW's recently launched maintenance, repair and overhaul management service, TRWAeroservices.

Spares orders will be tracked in real time via TRWAerospares, and there is access for both catalogue buying and direct materiel procurement.

"We have put considerable investment into this service, just as we would into production and engineering, and we see it not as an adjunct, but as a major part of our business," Maciver says.

"What makes it distinctive, is that it is a facility from which we, and everyone working with us will benefit."