vTraction.com™ announced the merger of Limelight Technologies and Agribiz.net. Together the two companies will offer integrated e-business solutions to North America and the international market.
Based in New York City, vTraction.com is a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce initiative of Rabobank, the world’s leading bank for the food and agriculture industry. As an eCooperative, vTraction.com works on a business model based on cooperative principles to align cream of the crop B2B companies specializing in food and agriculture, from e-consulting firms to post-transaction service providers. The eCooperative approach gives the vTraction.com family of Internet companies the traction, or liquidity they need to lead the way in their respective markets.
Both Agribiz.net and Limelight Technologies have a history of building successful B2B and food and ag focused web sites and commodity exchanges over the last four years. Agribiz.net has built e-business platforms for Novartis, Bandx, Dupont, Kubota, vTraction, and eHarvest / Farms.com, among others. Limelight Technologies is currently working with Vantagepoint, which is supported by Deere and Company. (John Deere), Farmland and GROWMARK. The merger will unite over 130 specialists in internet technologies and business development strategy, who work in offices around the world including London, UK; Tacoma, Washington; Davenport, Iowa; Fort Collins, Colorado; Mississauga, Ontario; Guelph, Ontario; and London, Ontario.
“This new powerhouse will be the largest and most sophisticated B2B web solutions provider in the food and ag industry,” said James Coulter, Vice President of Business Development at vTraction.com. “The best of breed in two independent companies have come together to create the North American leader in e-business development.”
The specialized skills of the new company include Microsoft DNA 2000, Java, Cold Fusion, Flash, Oracle and creative multimedia / graphic design tools. The new company will be capable of providing cutting edge e-business solutions using the N-Tier architecture, distributed application development frameworks, legacy integration and XML technologies. Limelight will be able to leverage its ability to globally recruit experienced professionals to handle the influx of new projects. Agribiz.net will capitalize on its proven e-business implementation skills.
“Companies are beginning to understand that they have the opportunity to bring the core function of their business online,” commented Grant Robinson, CEO of Agribiz.net “A web presence can’t be an advertisement anymore. The world needs to be able to do business with your company. We can provide the total e-business solution.” Agribiz.net has been successful in creating B2B portals for new and established companies online in a functional way that extends their sales channels and reduces operating costs.
“These companies are highly complementary,” remarked John Brady, President of Limelight Technologies. “This merger has generated a fantastic critical mass that will allow us to offer our clients more expertise, greater depth than ever before.” Brady founded Limelight Technologies in January 1999; in 16 months the company grew to in excess of 50 staff.
Aside from working on a number of projects for Vantagepoint Network, John Deere Precision Farming, John Deere Golf and John Deere Special Technologies Group, Limelight Technologies has created Farmers National online, an online searchable catalog for Superior Livestock Auctions, and Search for Ag, the largest search engine for the ag industry. “One of our goals is to help bring the functionality of the Internet to rural North America. Agribiz.net has the skills to help us do that.” Limelight Technologies is also known for their ability to recruit highly qualified software professionals worldwide. “Our staff in India allow us to work `round the clock,” said Brady.
Agribiz.net and Limelight Technologies agree on a fundamental approach that involves three major steps: strategy, tools and implementation. For Robinson, web-enabling means a balanced and thorough approach to all three steps. “There has to be commitment from the client to build online functionality. The e-business strategy requires the same thought and resources that any change to a business requires. If you decide on a significant change you need significant effort and resources. We can help not only with the strategy, we can also build the e-business solution,” said Robinson.
Both companies agree that the medium for e-business is constantly changing. The critical mass that comes with the merger gives Limelight Technologies and Agribiz.net the momentum to define the use of the medium rather than follow it. “Our approach is to put our clients into the limelight, put our project managers and staff in the limelight, and give them the incentive to change the medium according to the project’s needs,” remarked Brady. “I’ve seen this practice in place at Agribiz.net, so I know our philosophies mesh.”
The merger of Agribiz.net and Limelight Technologies brings with it several partner companies, including TDG Interactive, Telecommons Development Group, Venture Labour.com and Robinson Management Consultants Ltd. The two brands which will dominate the market in a go-forward mode will be Agribiz.net and Limelight Technologies.com
Contact Information:
Grant Robinson, CEO
Agribiz.net
grobinson@tdg.ca
www.agribiz.net
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
519.829.8474
Terese Engolz, Media Relations
vTraction.com
terese.engolz@vtraction.com
212.808.6923
www.vtraction.com
John Brady, President
Technologies and Projects
Limelight Technologies
johnb@limetech.com
www.limelighttechnologies.com
Fort Collins, Colorado USA
970.481.2815
Ian Richardson, President, COO
Agribiz.net
Irichardson@tdg.ca
www.agribiz.net
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
519.821.5787
Background information:
— vTraction.com is a Rabobank Group Internet initiative.
— Web address: http://www.vtraction.com
— Corporate head office for vTraction.com: New York City
— CEO of vTraction.com: Ejnar Knudsen
Vice President, Rabobank e-commerce Group: Ot Quast
Business Development Manager: James Coulter
Business Development Manager: John Sweeney
European Business Development Manager: Robert Wolthuis
Marketing Manager: Terese Engolz
— vTraction.com’s mission is to facilitate food and agriculture e-commerce using a cooperative model based on strategic alliances and partnerships.
Agribiz.net
— Web address: http://www.agribiz.net
— Corporate headquarters: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
— Satellite offices: Guelph, Mississauga, and London Ontario; London UK
— CEO: Grant Robinson
— President: Ian Richardson
— An established North American business helping clients identify, design and implement their Internet strategy. The core of the 65-member team works exclusively on Internet/Intranet consulting, training and application development. This background gives agribiz.net a large and experienced pool of qualified professionals to draw on for any given project.
Limelight Technologies.com
— Web address: http://www.limelighttechnologies.com
— Corporate Headquarters: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
— Satellite Offices: Tacoma, Washington; Davenport, Iowa
CEO and Founder: John Brady
Limelight Technologies provides distributed web application development and fully integrated web support services. They produce innovative, leading edge web solutions for Fortune 1000 companies and upcoming dot coms. Their 50-member team creates a partnership between outstanding design and state-of-the-art technology. The results are captivating, functional, easily navigable sites, supported by robust back-end technologies.
New Company Profile:
Employees: Over 130
Companies included:
— Limelight Technologies
— Agribiz.net
— tdg Interactive
— Telecommons Development Group
— Venture Labour.com
— Robinson Management Consultants Ltd.
Key Personnel:
— Grant Robinson, CEO
— John Brady, President, Technology and Projects
— Ian Richardson, President / COO
Key Shareholders:
— vTraction.com(TM)
— Vantagepoint Network (Deere and Company, Farmland, GROWMARK)
