If we look back on the origins of lean manufacturing, we can trace the principles to improving design, service, quality, testing and sales through various methods, including the application of statistical methods. In inventory management, statistical methods are applied to accurately size the amount of inventory needed in the supply chain based on time, variability and service levels. If applied correctly, the use of statistics in lean manufacturing will optimize the end-to-end supply chain. If applied incorrectly, with a “lean focus” (meaning reducing inventory as much as possible), it’s going to mean missed opportunities as upturns in the economy occur.

At Verical, we recognize the need for highly agile supply chain processes to compete in today’s market and the problems associated with the chronic excesses and shortages that result in large costs and risks to the supply networks. We work directly with the OEMs and contract manufacturers to reduce the risk by allowing them to source time critical components fast and easily, and with component manufacturers and distributors to allow them to monetize slow moving and end of life inventory. Our innovative online electronic components outlet provides an easy, reliable and fast way to buy and sell electronic components—which ultimately results in more agile, responsive supply chains with the associated lower costs and risks.

We can all learn a lesson from Toyota. As The Economist article states, take time to “stop, think and make improvements” in your supply chain and lean manufacturing strategy.

Buyers See Part Numbers, Prices and Quantities for Inventory In-Stock at Verical’s Factory Outlet—without Navigating to Verical.com

• Firefox extension gives buyers immediate, always-on access to Verical inventory information
• Auto-complete feature displays drop-down lists of matches as shoppers key in part number searches
• Download the Verical Toolbar at https://www.verical.com/extensions

SAN FRANCISCO — February 22, 2010 — Verical, Inc., the online factory outlet for electronic components, today announced the Verical Toolbar, a Firefox web browser extension that lets users quickly and easily search the company’s extensive catalog of electronic components through a search box located in the browser bar. With the Verical toolbar, buyers can browse Verical’s in-stock inventory and bargain prices—without navigating to Verical’s website located at https://www.verical.com. Available now, the Verical Toolbar can be downloaded at https://www.verical.com/extensions/.

“Our new plug-in toolbar gives buyers, engineers and others an instant search tool to spot check prices and availability at Verical without needing to open a new window and navigate to our site,” said Josef Ruef, co-founder and CEO at Verical. “This toolbar is just one of many features that Verical offers to improve the efficiency of its user’s search experience, by rendering data in a way that makes it extremely consumable—information rich, yet easy to understand and act on. Our mission is to provide shoppers with all the data and tools they need to make informed buying decisions as immediately as their circumstances dictate.”

Other customer-driven features recently announced for the Verical Marketplace include the Bid Button, a one-click icon that delivers eye-popping bargains on selected clearance inventory available at https://www.verical.com, and Demand Match™, the industry’s only bulk search tool that matches open requirements with available supply automatically.

After adding the Verical Toolbar to the Firefox browser, users simply type in the part number they are looking for, and the toolbar will display a drop-down list of the parts available at Verical that match the search. To expedite searches, the toolbar’s auto-complete feature guides users as part numbers are keyed-in, by progressively refining the match list with each keystroke entered. Selecting one of the parts from the list will take users to the Verical site, where they can research and purchase the part. Going forward, the company will introduce a Verical Toolbar for Internet Explorer and Chrome.

For buyers who need parts delivered “yesterday,” Verical’s new toolbar provides ready access to factory direct inventory, at discount prices. Keying in the first few digits of a part number will instantly reveal parts orderable on demand, replete with pricing and quantity available.

For more information on Verical, Inc., please visit https://www.verical.com. For additional perspectives, visit and subscribe to the Verical blog at http://blog.verical.com/, and follow Verical on Twitter at @Verical and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Verical.

Additional Resources

Verical Website: https://www.verical.com

Company Overview: https://www.verical.com/about/

Newsroom: https://www.verical.com/about/resources/newsroom.html

Blog: “The Electronic Components Source” http://blog.verical.com/

Verical on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Verical

Verical on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Verical

Industry Insights: presentations, articles, websites; https://www.verical.com/about/resources/industry.html

Counterfeit White Paper: “The Real Solution to Fake Parts: Securing Supply Chains through Data Transparency and Better Market Design”; http://bit.ly/counterfeitwhitepaper

About Verical

Verical is the creator of the Verical marketplace, an online factory outlet for electronic components that provides buyers traceable, branded goods at discount prices. Top manufacturers and franchised distributors publish slow-moving inventory to Verical to optimize prices and yields anonymously. Founded in 2007, Verical is a San Francisco-based start-up backed by Valhalla Partners. The company is experiencing rapid growth with over 27,000 parts available today in the Verical outlet at www.verical.com.

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DemandMatch is a trademark of Verical, Inc. All other brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Tags: Verical Marketplace Toolbar, Firefox, browser bar, electronic components, distribution, electronic component catalog, electronic components factory outlet, excess inventory, online catalog, shortage purchasing, shortages, supply chain, supply chain integrity, supply chain security, inventory, manufacturing, Bid Button, DemandMatch, Internet Explorer, Chrome

Media Contact:

Susan D’Elia, media relations for Verical

TECHMarket Communications

650.344.1260

Susan@TECHMarket.com