Five Smolensk Exporters Entered the International Trading Platform SAP Ariba

During the virus spreading, many classic export transactions and supply chains have been restructured. Experts recommend manufacturers to enter e-commerce marketplace. Thanks to activities of the regional Export Support Center and state support providing, five Smolensk companies have already successfully registered on SAP Ariba which is the one of the world largest business networks, other 4 production facilities are registering their “virtual representative offices” on other marketplaces.

The Smolensk users of the SAP Ariba network are the different companies: manufacturers of plastic products, veneer sheets and plywood, plasma cutting machines, lawn care equipment and electromechanical locks. Now these Smolensk exporters use a single access point to a huge number of suppliers and buyers. E- trading marketplace support for exporters is being provided under the International Cooperation and Export national project.

“It was the Export Support Center of the Smolensk Region who learned our company about the SAP Ariba website. We were consulted on working on it and provided with instructions in the remote mode. Registration on the site gives an opportunity to monitor requests of foreign partners, to evaluate competitive abilities, to analyze the work of competitors.” said Elena Kotova from the Smolensk Plastic Product Plant.

The Export Support Center emphasizes that due to the coronavirus spreading, there have been extremely activated all international e-trading marketplace services.

“Foreign partners have more confidence in global platforms, which have long developed the online exports sector. If a potential partner sees that the company has only website in a foreign language, then this will not establish credibility, as the firm may be a one-day-company. Therefore, when there is a possibility of free registration on the website, you have to use it,” says the analyst of the Export Support Center of the Smolensk Region Olga Asinskaya. “On SAP Ariba it is possible to place goods purchase order immediately. Suppliers respond fairly quickly to requests and make deliveries. This helps to restore the sales chains broken by the pandemic, allowing buyers and suppliers to interact quickly and efficiently with each other. This minimizes the negative impacts caused by shipment delays, manufacturing capabilities problems and increased consumer demand during a crisis.”

Over 2 Russian exporters providing different services and goods have already been registered in the SAP Ariba system. The most popular of them are professional and administrative services; computer equipment and software; handling, conditioning and storage equipment; construction materials; manufacturing and processing machinery; paper, packaging and containers as well as medical and laboratory equipment.

The free registration period for SAP Ariba has been extended until June 30, 2020 For detailed consultations, please contact the Export Support Center of the Smolensk Region.