| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact:
Essent: Eric Alessi, President and CEO
T: 800.559.9959 extension 826
PPAI: Keith Vincent, Marketing & PR Director
T: 972.258.3040 |
PPAI Announces Sale of OrderTrax2 to Essent
OrderTrax² and the ePSA Trading Network now part of Essent's product offerings
Irving, TX and Easton, PA (December 27, 2010) – Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the international not-for-profit association for the promotional products industry, announced today the sale of PPAI's OrderTrax2 and the TAG Business Tools' software that powers the ePSA Trading Network to Essent Corporation, one of the industry's leading technology partners and the largest provider of fully-integrated business management solutions to the industry.
OrderTrax2 is the innovative order-management web service that streamlines the order communication process between Suppliers and Distributors, keeping them on the same page, at the same time. OrderTrax2 utilizes TAG software, the same underlying and proven software that processed more than 18 million transactions, totaling more than $3 billion in Distributor purchase orders in 2010 alone.
“OrderTrax2 and the ePSA Trading Network improve operational efficiencies and increase bottom-line profitability for companies in the promotional products industry,” says Steve Slagle, CAE, president and CEO of PPAI. “With Essent's technological expertise and industry presence, Essent can take OrderTrax2 to the next level and achieve those goals. As a long-time member of ePSA, we're impressed with Essent's commitment to the ePSA standards and to maintaining the operations of the ePSA Network, which PPAI has long supported.”
The Essent portfolio of industry-specific business management products and services complement OrderTrax2 and the ePSA Trading Network. Essent will be immediately assuming management of the Network and TAG software suite. In the new year, Essent will be infusing OrderTrax2 and the TAG Software Suite with Essent technology to enhance the speed, accuracy, and security of business transactions between distributors and suppliers.
“Essent is strongly committed to the industry, PPAI, and the ePSA” underscores Eric Alessi, President and CEO of Essent. “All of our business management solutions are focused on improving the effectiveness of distributors and suppliers in the industry. This purchase further extends our commitment and provides another avenue for innovation. We are excited at the opportunity to integrate our technology and expertise into the ePSA Trading Network and take the Network to the next level.”
About Essent
Essent is the largest provider of fully-integrated business management software solutions and services for the promotional products industry. Essent solutions combine flexible workflow management with innovative technologies that automate business operations and simplify business processes. Since 1981, Essent has offered the systems, service, software, and support critical to success in today's highly-competitive marketplace. For more information, visit http://www.essent.com/ or call 800-559-9959.
About PPAI
PPAI—the promotional products industry's only international not-for-profit trade association—offers education, tradeshows, business products and services, mentoring, technology and legislative support to its more than 8,000 global members. Promotional products are a multi-billion dollar industry and include wearables, writing instruments, calendars, drinkware and many other items, usually imprinted with a company's name, logo or message. PPAI created and maintains the UPIC (Universal Promotional Identification Code), the industry's only free identification system and universal company database. For information regarding Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) or to learn more about the proven power of promotional products (including research and case studies), visit the PPAI website at www.ppai.org or contact PPAI at 888-426-7724.