Ford has essentially committed to providing its business processes to e-Steel and has devoted a couple of information technology professionals and Kish, as program manager, to work on the project; however, e-Steel and its integration partners are doing the bulk of the deployment and project management work. The effort, which is slated to go live in the first quarter of 2001, is separate from Covisint, a forthcoming online exchange for the automotive industry announced as a Ford-General-Motors-DaimlerChrysler partnership.

Given the scope of work required for integration, most big e-Steel customers—including National, Ford and U.S. Steel—don’t expect to take part in additional steel exchanges unless they become a key requirement for customers. But while many place their bets on e-Steel, some experts caution that a one-horse integration strategy can be risky. "You have to play the game that the strategy could change tomorrow if the market changes—you have to be flexible so you can get in and out of marketplaces at will," warns Forrester’s Yates. "It’s all about risk management and not putting all your eggs in one basket."

What’s risky business for some, however, is passion for e-Steel’s Levin. And with companies like Ford, National and U.S. Steel in his camp, he’s ready to take on the challenge. For now, couloirs and the sailing circuit might have to wait while Levin gives B2B e-commerce his best shot.