Chemical shippers get online resource

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 9/1/2000

The next generation of Internet-based marketplaces has arrived on the scene. These new services target specific groups of shippers, catering to the unique needs of their particular industries.

One such marketplace is Chemical.net (www.chemical.net), which was launched at the end of last month. The interactive Web site is designed to meet the needs of manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers of chemicals. Through a series of alliances, Chemical.net offers more than 100,000 chemicals and related products and services. Among the company's partners are J.J. Keller, publisher of regulatory compliance and training materials; Van Leer Container Corp., provider of packaging for hazardous materials; and environmental testing and analysis firms Bio Clinical Laboratories and WorldWide Testing.com.

Of greatest interest to shippers, though, is Chemical.net's relationship with ShipChem.com, a new division of Eastman Chemical that serves as an online provider of transportation-management services for chemical shippers. Chemical.net's customers will be able to take advantage of ShipChem.com's expertise in integrating supply chain services, say company executives. Those services include selecting carriers, optimizing complex bulk and packaged shipments, and tracking orders worldwide. "ShipChem.com's partnership with Chemical.net will allow companies to reduce costs and manage all orders, both domestic and international," said Barry Dale, president and chief operating officer of ShipChem.com, in announcing the deal.