MDL and Lancaster Exchange Catalog Data

Agreement Ensures Timely, Accurate Content in Chemical Sourcing Catalogs

07-Aug-2002

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. & LANCASHIRE, England Aug. 5, 2002 - MDL Information Systems, Inc., the leader in discovery informatics for the life sciences and chemistry, has teamed with leading research chemical catalog company Lancaster Synthesis in a joint effort to provide customers with timely access to accurate information for chemical sourcing and procurement. The companies' agreement to exchange electronic catalog data will streamline chemical ordering for mutual customers, and opens the door to future collaborations between the companies as they seek ways to improve the chemical sourcing process.

The data sharing agreement formalizes Lancaster's commitment to transfer formatted catalog data to MDL for inclusion in MDL Available Chemicals Directory. Available Chemicals Directory is a structure-searchable database providing pricing and supplier information for nearly 400,000 unique chemicals available as over one million research-grade and bulk chemical products. By providing MDL with timely data in electronic format, Lancaster's entire range of products will be accurately reflected in the current version of MDL Available Chemicals Directory.

Under the data sharing arrangement, MDL will supply Lancaster with MDL numbers for compounds listed in Lancaster brand catalogs. This corresponding exchange of data means that Lancaster can easily process orders using the MDL numbers that appear in Available Chemicals Directory, thus providing a smooth sourcing and procurement experience for its clients.

The MDL-Lancaster agreement supports MDL's strategy to work with all its partners to ensure that electronic catalogs contain complete, accurate, and up-to-date content for the thousands of researchers who depend on them to locate reagents and starting compounds.

"This collaboration with Lancaster reflects MDL's broad commitment to streamlining the discovery process, so scientists can focus on research, not on locating and ordering materials," said Marc Beban, Ph.D., product manager for MDL(R) Available Chemicals Directory. "By working closely with all our supplier partners, we can ensure that electronic catalogs offer the most comprehensive and current information for the benefit of our mutual customers."

Lancaster is currently developing a new e-business system, which will allow customer-specific information to be retrieved over the Web. This will include, amongst other things, real time stock availability. MDL and Lancaster are investigating possible future links between Lancaster's e-Commerce solution and MDL's range of sourcing and chemical management products. "This partnership with MDL represents a significant step as Lancaster pursues ways to expand chemically intelligent e-Commerce solutions for our customers," said Mark Ebrey, business development manager for Lancaster. "Potential future collaborations may allow our companies to further improve the chemical sourcing process."

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/12788/mdl-and-lancaster-exchange-catalog-data.html