Vicom Signs With VerticalNet

Vicom Multimedia Inc. launched an e-commerce site on VerticalNet’s SafetyOnline community and will market its Construction Safety Training System (CSTS) at the site for occupational safety professionals.

VerticalNet Inc. operates a number of B2B trading communities. Financial arrangements between the companies were not disclosed.

“With nearly 500,000 users last year, SafetyOnline offers us an effective and easy way to access our target market,” said David Hamill, president and CEO of Vicom. “VerticalNet has the human and financial resources to sustain and grow SafetyOnline to be the portal of choice for safety information and
products.”

Last March, VerticalNet and Microsoft announced a strategic alliance to deliver a set of B2B e-commerce services and content to small and medium-sized businesses, and the launch of Vicom’s e-commerce site is a
direct result of the alliance.

“Microsoft’s investment in VerticalNet assured us that this B2B e-commerce model is viable,” said Hamill.

CSTS is a risk management and safety training solution designed to help the four million construction workers in the U.S. work safer, resulting in fewer job-site accidents and reduced worker’s compensation costs. The safety training program is available on a per-student fee basis. The rich media program is delivered on CD-ROM direct to each worker; the student records are managed centrally over a network or the Internet.