Hyundai dealers worldwide to get high-tech parts catalog system

International automotive industry I.T. developer, Infomedia Ltd, signed a five-year global data license agreement with Hyundai Mobis to supply its electronic parts catalog system (EPC), Microcat., to Hyundai dealers around the world.

Last year, Hyundai was the fastest growing automaker in the world, notes Richard Graham, Chairman and CEO of Infomedia Ltd, based in Sydney Australia.

An EPC is a sophisticated business software application that aids parts and service personnel in a dealership to determine the correct replacement parts for a vehicle, from the hundreds of thousands of parts in stock. The Microcat parts selling system, operates both from traditional DVD-ROMs and via the Internet.

Its speed of operation, smooth integration with order entry systems, broad choice of features and easy to use graphical interface, make it very popular with users and OEMs.

The "raw material" for making the Microcat system is parts and vehicle data. This data license is a right to use that data to create versions of Microcat for use by the OEM's distributors and dealers. The data license granted by Hyundai Mobis to Infomedia is for a period of five years. With the exception of Korea and the USA, which are non-exclusive territories, this is an exclusive license for EPC worldwide.

"It is also very important to Hyundai Mobis that the EPC can operate via the Internet. We know Microcat can operate this way and look forward to our dealers having this option too," says Y. H. Lee, deputy general manager export parts, Hyundai Mobis.

Hyundai dealers in Europe are expected to start using the system in July,followed by the rest of the world.

Mr. Graham explained, "We are looking forward to bringing the productivity and profitability benefits of Microcat to more than 5,500 Hyundai dealers around the world. Hyundai dealers in Australia started using Microcat in April 2000. It only took two months for all the Australian dealers to put it to good use in their dealerships."