papiNet Announces Completion of XML Standard for Papers and Forest Industries

papiNet Announces Completion of XML Standard for Paper and Forest Industries

Implementation increases to more than 80 companies using the papiNet global standard

Brussels and Washington, D.C. (April 9, 2003) - The members and sponsoring organizations of papiNet- the global electronic standards initiative of the paper and forest products industry - announce the release of six additional business documents to the papiNet XML standard. The messages being added are Product Quality, Product Performance, Complaint, Complaint Response, Planning, and Availability. Additionally, the Information Request message has been updated to include the ability to request Availability information.

Users of version 2.00 messages can communicate with trading partners who want to embrace these new messages without any additional work. This is in line with the papiNet approach to release management.

These messages join the existing 16-message suite that provides the ability for the paper industry and its customers to electronically communicate business transactions involved in the procurement, order fulfillment, and inventory management processes. The 22-message papiNet suite enables trading partners to communicate every aspect of the supply chain in a globally uniform fashion using XML.

The papiNet standard facilitates electronic commerce between the paper and forest products industry and its customers by providing messages that standardize the transmission of business information between trading partners. papiNet will now focus its efforts on increasing implementation of the standard beyond the 80 companies currently using papiNet.

Complete documentation, along with the schemas for the published messages, is available on the papiNet web site. Implementation guide and data coordination tools are also available. Visit www.papinet.org for further information.

About papiNet

The purpose of papiNet is to develop, maintain, and support the implementation of global electronic business transaction standards for parties engaged in the buying, selling and distribution of forest and paper products. The aim is to improve the reach and richness of communication throughout the supply chain, increase efficiencies in transactions, and to support interoperability among trading partners. The papiNet standards are open and freely available. Critical mass is achieved by involving key players globally and across the supply chain. Over 60 customers, producers, and technology firms from Europe and North America are involved in the initiative with industry association partners - American Forest and Paper Association (Sara Freund at 202.463.2450 or sara_freund@afandpa.org) and IDEAlliance - formerly GCA (David Steinhardt at 703.837.1066 or dsteinhardt@idealliance.org). http://www.papinet.org

For more information contact:

Eric Olofsson
papiNet Chairman
Eric.olofsson@storaenso.com
+46 (0) 8 613 6600

Arthur Colman
papiNet Technical Lead
colman@drybridge.com
617.803.2546