Our History
Agentrics was formed through the November 2005 merger of the WorldWide Retail Exchange (WWRE) and the GlobalNetXchange (GNX), two companies with similar legacies and complementary capabilities. As the new Agentrics continued its success, new ventures resulted, such as the combination with SINFOS GmbH to form SA2 Worldsync and the development of the industry’s database for safe-food verification with the Food Marketing Institute.
The Early Days
GNX and the WWRE were both formed in 2000 by the world’s leading retailers to eliminate inefficiencies in sourcing and supply chain operations. Both businesses addressed the interests of retailers and suppliers in the food, general merchandise, textile/home and drugstore sectors.
GNX was formed in February 2000 by 8 retailers. The exchange was based in San Francisco, with offices in Paris, St Albans (UK), Frankfurt, Tokyo and Herndon, Va. The GNX mission was to connect retailers and suppliers to their trading partners in order to more efficiently and effectively share information and manage work processes. In 2004, GNX headquarters moved to Chicago.
The WWRE was formed in March 2000 by 17 retailers and was based in Alexandria, Va., with a presence in Tokyo and Paris. The WWRE mission was to enable the founding retailers and their suppliers to substantially reduce costs across product development, e-procurement and supply chain processes.
Sound familiar?
Agentrics is Born
Thus, the two businesses decided to combine operations, and Agentrics was founded in November 2005 as the “trusted agent” to the world’s leading retailers. To this day, Agentrics customers help guide the company’s direction to ensure it is focused on the most pressing issues and best opportunities for increased retailer performance. Because of the unique relationship among Agentrics customers, these executives and solution users come together as a community to share best practices and explore industry issues and trends.
Today, the combined strengths of all community participants have made Agentrics the leading provider of sourcing, PLM and supply chain solutions to the world’s leading retailers and their suppliers.
SA2 Worldsync: United in Data Sync
In early 2008, the Agentrics data synchronization business unit combined with SINFOS GmbH, the world’s second largest data pool and master data services provider. Today, SA2 Worldsync supports more than 50 retailers and 2,600 suppliers with the alignment of item data to ensure systems operate with timely, accurate and complete product information.
FMI Database for Safe Quality Foods
In 2008, Agentrics is working with partner company Muddy Boots Software to build an industry-wide supplier information database for the Food Marketing Institute Safe Quality Foods (SQF) initiative. This database, available midyear 2008, will allow retailers to verify the SQF certification of the world’s growers and suppliers of food products and other goods.