Ad-hoc | 3 April 2000 18:24

Ad hoc-Service: DCI Datab. Commerce Ind. DCI+

Ad-hoc Mitteilung übermittelt durch die DGAP. Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist allein der Emittent verantwortlich. —————————————————————————— DCI AG provides enabling technologies for Hewlett Packard’s b2b e-commerce platform STARNBERG, Germany 3 April 2000. The second largest IT company in the world, Hewlett Packard, today announced that it will be leveraging DCI AG’s market- leading trading solutions to enable its e-commerce vision. HP is set to become a VIP First Class member of the DCI e-commerce portal on 1 April 2000. DCI Database for Commerce and Industry AG is leading the German market in driving innovative Web-centric trading solutions. It is poised to become a key player in the global electronic marketplace. In acknowledgement of its rapid growth prospects, DCI was admitted to the Frankfurt “Neuer Markt” Stock Exchange on 13 March. Some 50,000 HP corporate customers will be deploying DCI products in the wake of HP’s decision. The DCI TradeManager trading solution is a fast, effective way for customers to check the latest price and product information offline. Once users have found what they are looking for, they can order it online through Germany’s largest b2b marketplace for IT/telecom products, the DCI WebTradeCenter. As soon as the DCI tools have been successfully implemented throughout Germany, HP hopes to expand its alliance with DCI to include the rest of Europe. HP will be distributing its product catalogue to some 50,000 corporate customers throughout Germany via the TradeManager CD. This electronic catalogue provides fast, effortless access to HP price and product information. Prospective buyers can check out the latest products, compare prices and delivery terms and order directly online. Once online, users can also update the catalogue at the click of a mouse or they can drop in to the DCI WebTradeCenter (www.webtradecenter.de) and submit a purchase request. The request is relayed to several thousand dealers who tender offers by email, fax or phone. The buyer simply selects the best offer and orders online. DCI TradeManager is also the ideal platform for post- sales business. Ordering office supplies such as printer cartridges could not be easier or faster. Bernd Bischoff, General Manager and Vice President of Commercial Customer Organisation at Hewlett Packard, sees the alliance with DCI as a strategic step. “We anticipate a marked increase in online sales here in Germany. It stands to reason DCI means our customers have a fast, convenient and efficient online shopping facility.” If this new sales and marketing strategy is successful in Germany, the HP Group plans to roll out the DCI software across Europe. About DCI: DCI Database for Commerce and Industry AG has been pioneering b2b developments in the fast-growing e- commerce market since 1993. In acknowledgement of its rapid growth prospects, DCI was admitted to the Frankfurt “Neuer Markt” Stock Exchange in March 2000. DCI is in the process of revolutionising electronic trade by networking all market players in a virtual marketplace. The DCI online trading community is built on patent-protected, Internetenabled database technologies. The DCI WebTradeCenter provides an independent trading platform that automatically synchronises supply and demand in the fast-expanding b2b segment. This portal creates maximum market and price transparency. With some 290,000 products and 26,000 dealers, it is already positioned as the largest Internet marketplace in Germany. The WebTradeCenter brokers an average monthly turnover of approx. DM 50 million. Trade through the DCI WebTradeCenter is amazingly simple and efficient. Electronic purchase requests are automatically relayed to prospective suppliers, who submit offers that are returned to the buyer in a standardised format. This effectively reverses the traditional trading mechanism as supply is now buyer- driven. DCI’s intelligent technologies standardise product and price information from a variety of catalogues to deliver an unprecedented depth of information. Customers benefit from the speed and cost savings of online shopping, not to mention the host of complementary value-added services and marketing tools offered by DCI. For more information on DCI: DCI Database for Commerce and Industry AG Public and Investor Relations Eva Weber Enzianstr. 6 82319 Starnberg Germany Telephone: +49 / 81 51/2 65-3 63 Fax: +49 / 81 51/2 65-5 01 E-mail: presse@dci.de; investorrelations@dci.de Internet: www.dci.de or www.webtradecenter.de No charge for reproductions – copy would be appreciated. Not for release in the United States, Canada or Japan. This press release will not be published in the United States and may not be transmitted to persons or associations, which are resident in the United States, or to publications with general distribution in the United States. This document is not an offer of shares nor an invitation to subscribe or to acquire shares. The shares of DCI are not being registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”). They may not be offered or sold in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of, US persons (as such terms are defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the US securities law. No public offering of shares is being made in the United States. Ende der Mitteilung