The name is somewhat intimidating: Enterprise Interaction Management
software. However, companies are clamoring for it.
A leader in the field is Bluestone
Software . The company has been
successfully transitioning legacy environments to robust Web environments.
Bluestone, in fact, has been a pioneer of such services – going back to
1995.
Since then, Bluestone has been embracing new technologies, such as Java and
XML. For example, the company launched one of the first XML servers in
early 1999.
The latest iteration of Bluestone’s technology is Total-e-Business, launched
in the first quarter of 2000. The technology consists of a variety of
components. At the heart of the system is Total-e-Server, which is a secure
and scalable backbone for a company’s e-business applications. If a
customer wants B2B applications, then there is the Total-e-B2B solution,
which automates the supply chain and enhances logistics. The system is
based on open XML standards. Or, there is the Total-e-B2C solution, which
provides one-to-one personalization to increase customer loyalty. Wireless? Of course.
There is Total-e-Wireless.
Bluestone recently purchased Arjuna Solutions Limited, based in Newcastle,
England. The company has the only commercial transactioning system
developed with Java technology and the Java Transaction Service. Such a
system makes it easier to integrate and scale within corporate environments.
The Arjuna technology will be implemented within the Total-e-Business
platform and also sold as a standalone product.
The financials are gaining much traction for Bluestone. In the first
quarter of 2000, revenues were $7.3 million, which was up 122% from the same
period a year ago (the sequential growth rate was 44%). The company is
losing money, though, with a net loss of $4.8 million. But Bluestone is
very liquid. It was able to pull off a secondary offering of $211 million
in the first quarter.
Bluestone is definitely an ambitious company. Their vision is that “all
aspects of business” should be e-enabled. So far, the company’s technology
is making inroads. What’s more, since the technology is based on open
standards and platform independence, Bluestone can constantly improve its
offerings. So, expect much more from the company.
Next week, we will see further evidence of the vision, as the company will
report its earnings, which you can see at the internet.com
Earnings Page.
