Global knowledge base on plastics website

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 13, 2002

Plastics e-marketplace Omnexus has gathered some of the industry's top minds to answer questions and offer expert advice on topics chosen by its members as important to their success.

Global plastics e-marketplace Omnexus has gathered some of the industry's top minds to answer questions and offer expert advice on topics chosen by its members as important to their success in today's plastics market.

The Omnexus TechCenter is the first-ever global system that puts plastics processors in direct contact with technical experts from multiple suppliers.

The Omnexus TechCenter operates as a global knowledge management system, connecting the more than 16,000 Omnexus community members with experts from the e-marketplace's fast-growing supplier base.

Omnexus currently serves as an e-business hub for more than 20 world-leading suppliers, including founders Bayer, BASF, Dow, DuPont and Ticona.

Participating TechCenter suppliers provide their experts who answer questions in main categories including materials, markets, machinery and advanced technologies.

The free service, currently available only in English, gives Omnexus community members full access to: submit their individual questions to the technical experts of supplier companies; questions and answers that are threaded and archived for future reference; advanced full-text search capabilities to quickly find specific information among the library of past questions and discussion topics; and reporting and analysis instruments for research.

"Because we have a growing list of more than 20 suppliers, Omnexus is in a unique position to pull from the largest pool of experts in the plastics industry", said Michael Walsh, Interim CEO of Omnexus.

"This growing base of shared knowledge will be an invaluable tool for plastics professionals who need to stay a step ahead".

Omnexus created the TechCenter in response to input from its members on professional services that they would find useful and convenient in addition to the e-marketplace's well known online procurement system.

Initial topics already slated for discussion in the TechCenter include: automotive; computer and IT systems; ABS; liquid crystal polymer (LCP); nylon (PA); polybutylene terephthalate (PBT); polycarbonates; polycarbonate blends; acetal (POM); elastomers (TPE/TPU); injection moulding; and machinery.

Existing and newly registered Omnexus members can obtain immediate access to the Omnexus TechCenter by visiting the website, where they receive a unique user name and password for exclusive use in all categories and topics within the TechCenter.

Omnexus selected Clerity, a leading developer of expertise location and connection technology, as the provider for the technology for the TechCenter.

The TechCenter is the first of several new features to be added in the coming weeks to Omnexus, the plastics industry's largest centralised online resource.

Omnexus plans to announce enhancements that will further expand the company's coverage of equipment, materials, and other products and services related to the plastics industry.

(This was Engineeringtalk's Top Story on 12 March 2002).