A joint venture company has been formed by five of Britain’s leading Construction and Engineering Companies that aims to create a business-to-business (B2B) exchange serving the entire UK construction and engineering industry.

Called Arrideo, trading on the B2B exchange is a joint venture between AMEC, Balfour Beatty, Bovis Lend Lease, Kvaerner, John Laing and AECventure - the global B2B industry exchange.

The exchange is to operate as an independently managed business and will be open to all organisations working within the construction and engineering market and allied sectors.

Arrideo and AECventure share the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction and engineering industry by creating a value foundation for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors, distributors, suppliers and manufacturers, through real-time information exchange and on-line collaboration. Arrideo will operate as an alliance partner of AECventure.com. The companies behind the Arrideo joint venture believe that the alliance with AECventure will provide unique benefits to all exchange participants. In particular it will offer access to a global exchange platform and a cost-effective method of working and trading in overseas markets. The exchange’s founding partners are seeking to expand equity participation in the company. Discussions are well advanced with a number of major firms, both within and serving the construction and engineering industry.

Arrideo has created an initial information website  www.arrideo.com  to provide regular background infor-mation on the exchange, plus a feedback section enabling participants to ask questions and make suggestions on specific services they would like to see featured. Visitors to  www.arrideo.com  may also register to receive automatic information updates and details on seminars and other activities prior to the launch.

The exchange will create an on-line community for the construction and engineering industry. It is anticipated that the facilities and services available will encompass every aspect of the business process, from tendering to facilities management. The exchange will be neutral, with facilities and services designed to be of benefit to the whole indus-try.

These will include:

• On-line tendering (E-tendering)
• On-line procurement (E-procurement)
• On-line project collaboration
• On-line auctions
• On-line contractual agreements
• On-line delivery, invoice information, and payment facilities
• On-line information services<

The independent management team of Arrideo will guarantee the confidentiality of all data and communica-tions carried over the exchange. For further information

telephone 00 44 (0)20 7556 7633.