All the ships at sea just may be able to find the replacement parts they need on the Web at Equilinx.com.
The new industrial site (www.equilinx.com) provides shipping companies with catalog databases of parts for repair and maintenance, from simple things like gaskets to more expensive devices that ships require when they’re in port, says president and chief executive Jim Ungerleider.
“Currently, purchasing agents must sift through many unwieldy catalogs and spend hours tracking down parts and services through phone calls, faxes and e-mails,” he notes in a statement.
“With millions of dollars being lost due to inefficiencies and delays, Equilinx intends to help fleet managers reduce inventory costs, support special vendor agreements and reduce the time their ships are out of commission.”
Fast Work
Ungerleider says Equilinx’s system can cut parts procurement and delivery time by at least a week.
The site’s search engine lets users specify precise form, fit and function requirements. Listings can be found not only for a particular model or part needing replacement but for lower-cost or newer alternatives if an exact match can’t be found. More than 120,000 parts and products are offered.
Ungerleider says Equilinx is aiming for a piece of the worldwide market – some 86,000 ships that spend about $50 billion a year on repairs and maintenance. He declines to project revenue.
Charter Members
The site has signed on several buyers and industry suppliers as charter members, including international ship operations firm Osprey Ship Management Inc. and the freight container ships of Maersk Line.
Equilinx’s sales force is working to add buyers and sellers to the site. The expanding cruise ship business is one area where the site may focus its prospecting. Ungerleider says such efforts should be complemented later this year with DR space ads in several industry trade magazines. Purchasing managers, port and ship engineers and technical personnel will be targeted.
Network
