Giants Ready Joint E-Business

Georgia-Pacific, Intirnational Paper and Weyerhaeuser Co., will go online with ForestExpress, their B2B e-commerce joint venture, in fourth quarter 2000 (see April, p. 28).

The three jointly have committed $5 I million to the project and hope to enlist other strategic partners. Boise Cascade, Louisiana-Pacific, Mead and Willamette reportedly are considering joining.

Based in Atlanta, Ga., ForestExpress will operate as an independent company with its own management. Now under the guidance of a board drawn from the ranks of its founding partners, the company is searching for a chief executive. In the interim, Keith Russell, Boston Consulting Group, is serving in the ceo's role. Bob Renner, G-P director of e-commerce, is chief technology officer.

Services, initially focusing on building materials, printing and writing papers, recovered fiber and timber, will be open to all businesses that want to participate.

New TruServ Store System

TruServ Corp. shortly will introduce "Unity," a store management computer system that reportedly will automate unit locations, provide better customer service and improve communication and e-commerce abilities.

Though Unity will eventually replace other systems, the co-op will continue to support, but not enhance, the ABC, RBS and TruTrac systems.