These initiatives have been designed to help the company utilize the Internet to leverage its position as a leading provider of high-performance identification and material solutions. Committed to doing at least 50 percent of its business electronically in 2003, Brady Corporation has increased its investment in e-commerce, successfully integrating its efforts across the organization to involve customers, distributors, suppliers and internal staff. These technologies are making products more easily accessible around the world, leveraging sales and marketing investments, and reducing transaction costs. The company is also using the Internet to ensure employees have the latest tools and skills needed in today's competitive marketplace. Today, Brady products are accessible through more than 30 websites, offering on-line catalogs, ordering a nd payment by credit card.
Some sites allow customers to have a live chat with a customer service representative.
About 15 percent of U.S. distributor orders were conducted via the Internet in the second half of fiscal 2000, and about 8 percent of total sales in fiscal 2000 were made electronically. Brady recently launched a European portal with content in seven different languages replacing several individual country-based sites. The multi-lingual capabilities take advantage of the power of the Internet as an international tool. This technology allows end users to customize products online, pass the information into Brady's business system for order processing, and electronically transmit the information directly to manufacturing equipment on the shop floor for manufacturing and then shipment to the customer. Internal programs engaging the workforce in lifelong learning help keep Brady on the forefront of technologies.