Vordel's TalkXML adopted by Insurance giants AXA and Royal & SunAlliance

Dublin, Ireland - 18 October 2000 - Vordel, a global supplier of XML based cohesion technologies for eBusiness, today announced the implementation of its TalkXML product in an initiative involving both AXA and Royal & SunAlliance. The Commercial Electronic Trading (CELT) initiative involving some of Europe's leading insurance companies facilitates the online processing of insurance quotations from independent Insurance Brokers throughout Ireland.

Commenting on the successful implementation of the project, David Ryan, CEO at Vordel, said: "This is another important example of how TalkXML can be used to migrate key business activities, traditionally dependent on the use of paper forms to an online environment, thereby introducing operational efficiencies, instant access to forms and an improved customer service. The TalkXML suite is quick and easy to install and operate, and the intuitive nature of the products means that the Insurance brokers can begin using the CELT service immediately."

Michael Comiskey, CELT Project Manager and eBusiness Manager at AXA Brokers, Ireland, commenting on the implementation of TalkXML said: "CELT needed a system that would enable insurance brokers to fill in forms both on and off-line and then submit them to all of the affiliated insurance companies. The forms needed to be versatile enough to communicate across different types of software, since all of the insurers had legacy systems in place. Vordel provided the ideal solution to bind diverse systems together in a single cohesive business network and allow the individual brokers submit their information in an easy-to-use format."

Gordon McDonogh, eBusiness Manager at Royal & SunAlliance, reinforced this statement: "Vordel's TalkXML product allowed us to upgrade the existing service and permit Insurance Brokers within CELT to submit quotations in a convenient method, on-line and monitor. This solution will also permit the Insurance companies to data-mine the information submitted."

About CELT

CELT is a pan-Insurance company initiative to enable the Irish Broker Network introduce efficiencies to their traditionally paper-based forms business. Established by a group of insurance companies - AXA and Royal & SunAlliance - the aim of the CELT project is to create a standard system in which independent brokers can submit electronic quotation requests to member companies.

About Vordel

Vordel is a leading provider of XML-based tools and applications to enable cohesion within business networks. Vordel's product range, TalkXML, delivers a powerful suite of applications that enables an enterprise to easily establish secure web-based communication channels to any organisation in its B2B or B2C business network.

The most significant issue for companies striving to build an eBusiness capability is that of legacy and the integration of disparate systems. We offer XML-based products that will easily interface with existing systems and deliver secure, authentic data to any digital channel. We offer cohesion technologies or "the glue" to link your existing systems and people to new digital business channels.

Vordel's products and solutions are designed to assist companies in extracting additional value from their IT infrastructure and to easily extend their business over internal and external B2B networks. Effectively, TalkXML acts as the cohesive technology to enable existing IT systems communicate in order to capture the opportunity for secure electronic business.

Vordel is headquartered in Dublin; it currently employs 25 people and has partners in Ireland, UK, and the US.

Press Contact:

Hugh Carroll +353 1 234 2500