ACES/PIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
For More Information, Call:
Nancy Creighton, Stillwater Creative Group
708-524-2161, or
Ronald Garand, Vertical Development, Inc.
847-608-9142
Email: rgarand@verticaldev.com

DOWNERS GROVE, IL – To stay competitive, aftermarket suppliers today must adapt their catalog and product information according to new standards set by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and supported by Activant, Advance Auto, AutoZone, CARQUEST, Wrenchead and other major retailer and WD chains. They can adapt to new ACES (AAIA Advanced Catalog Standard) and PIES (Product Information Exchange Standard) requirements, easily and economically, with database management systems from Vertical Development, Inc. (VDI).

CARQUEST is already using the XML files (PIES format) that VDI provided for their client, Airtex Products, a major manufacturer of fuel and water pumps. These XML documents included the required elements for CARQUEST, along with embedded full and thumbnail product images. What’s more, new ACES files provided by VDI to Activant (Triad) and Wrenchead (ProfitPro) have passed their initial evaluation and are now in the final processing stage.

"Vertical Development was instrumental in getting Airtex part information to us in CARQUESTxml format quickly and accurately,” said CARQUEST Supply Chain Integration Manager Todd Asby. "Having consistent, accurate, high quality, up-to-date part information is of paramount importance to CARQUEST. These files are now being used to fuel a number of technologies that support our customers, associates and the CARQUEST brand.”

All VDI systems – ePublisher, eCatalog and eWebCatalog – are designed to help suppliers provide application data in AAIA and other proprietary formats, and product information in PIES format. “Since over 70% of all parts are sold through an e-Catalog system like Activant, NAPA or other proprietary retailers, timely e-catalog data is increasingly important to business growth,” said VDI President Jay Wright.

Wright noted that VDI was one of the first firms to help companies satisfy NAPA Attribute Editor and PartsPro requirements when those standards were first introduced. Since then, VDI has helped small as well as large manufacturers standardize and share their data for delivery in electronic and print format, from a single database solution. Systems can be deployed quickly, enabling manufacturers to meet requirements without losing focus on their core business. VDI systems are easy to install, require minimal administration, and can be run on a single server, workstation or laptop. Programs are configured to each customer’s needs, in whatever hierarchy an organization needs.

For more information on Vertical Development solutions that help companies meet ACES and PIES specifications, contact Ron Garand at 847-608-9142; rgarand@verticaldev.com. More information can also be obtained by visiting the company’s web sites at www.verticaldev.com and www.e-WebCatalog.com.

A leading provider of content management systems, Vertical Development, Inc. offers e-Publisher, and e-Catalog systems that support simultaneous publishing to print, web and CD-ROM formats from a single data source. Vertical Development also offers mapping services to companies without systems, allowing them to export their data in AAIA, Activant Solutions (CCI/Triad), NAPA, Wrenchead and other retailer formats. VDI’s software has streamlined data management for companies nationwide in a variety of industries, including many of the largest manufacturers in the automotive market. Founded in 1983, the company has offices in Downers Grove and Elgin, IL, and Fremont, CA.