Press release

22nd July 2002

Digital Union and Tacton Systems establish a new partnership

e-business solutions provider teams-up with configuration software expert to deliver tailored online catalogue capabilities.

Digital Union (www.digitalunion.com), a leading e-business solutions provider, is today pleased to announce a new partnership with Tacton Systems, an expert in the field of online configuration and the creator of the Tacton Configurator.

Under the terms of this agreement Digital Union will utilise the Tacton Configurator within its range of innovative e-business solutions. The Tacton Configurator is an easy-to-use software program that makes it straightforward to sell complex or customised products over the Internet. It enables highly interactive online selling, where the user is in complete control. Tacton configurations are driven by customer needs rather than solely product attributes, and actually assist users in fulfilling their own requirements with suitable combinations of product components.

Digital Union's ezMarket, an IBM Websphere based solution for deploying open and integrated supply chain extensions, net markets, e-commerce and e-procurement, will incorporate the IBM Websphere compatible Tacton Configurator as it's configuration component. ezMarket has recently been at the centre of much retail and manufacturing interest, due to its reverse auction capabilities enabling organisations to create a virtual stock-exchange for the supply of many of the commodities that they purchase, thus dramatically reducing costs, and in many cases delivering return on investment from the first auction.

"By offering the Tacton Configurator as part of the Digital Union solutions we are able increase the functionality and usability of our already innovative, product portfolio," says Patrick Lawton, CEO, Digital Union. "ezMarket's reverse auction functionality has already proved a great success with SMEs and larger companies alike, and the addition of the Configurator makes it a must have e-business tool for any company wanting to build an online catalogue."

"Tacton Systems is very pleased to have made this alliance with a proven e-business innovator such as Digital Union," says Christer Wallberg, CEO, Tacton Systems. "The Configurator is a very powerful tool that, when combined with ezMarket, offers an unparalleled package."

Digital Union's range of e-business solutions have been recognised for their excellence by winning the 2002 IBM Beacon Award for 'Greatest Innovation in e-Business', making Digital Union the only company in the history of the awards to win in two consecutive years, having previously been awarded the 2001 IBM Beacon Award for 'Excellence in Partnering'.

Further information: Christer Wallberg, CEO, tel: +46 8 730 32 49 70, e-mail: christer.wallberg@tacton.com. Digital Union Press Contact: Alex Needs / Katie Kinnes, CBC, Tel: 01483 277 711, Fax: 01483 277 811, Email: alexn@chazb.com / katiek@chazb.com. Digital Union Contact: Patrick Lawton, Digital Union, Tel: 01483 889 483, Fax: 01483 889 450, Email: patrick.lawton@digitalunion.com

About Tacton: Tacton is a leading vendor of sales configuration software and services, with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, a subsidiary in Brighton, UK and active international partnerships including IBM, Intershop and Intentia. Tacton's solutions are used by customers such as Ericsson, ABB Switchgear, Marconi, Cardo and Getinge to effectively sell their complex and customised products online or offline.
About Digital Union: Digital Union UK Ltd is a leading supplier of e-business products and services. At the forefront of Internet developments embracing strategic sourcing, collaborative commerce and speech recognition, Digital Union helps European companies to work and win with the Web by implementing sophisticated business-to-business (B2B) and mobile e-commerce systems.

Combining its own 'ez' range of products with the systems of key partners including IBM, Deloitte and Touche and PWC, Digital Union offers solutions that feature scalability, security and reliability, often three or four times more cost-effectively and rapidly than larger e-business players.

Founded in 1998, Digital Union is headquartered in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom. The Company has posted profits in each year of operation and is one of the fastest growing companies in the United Kingdom.

Digital Union achieved the honour of winning the 2001 IBM Beacon Award for 'Excellence in Partnering', and the 2002 IBM Beacon Award for 'Greatest Innovation in e-Business', making it the only company in the history of the awards to win in two consecutive years.

Additional information is available on the Web at www.digitalunion.com