JC Whitney Acquires Exclusive License to CarParts.com

         Affiliate Program Links Leaders of Top Two Auto Parts Sites

    EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Aug. 1 CarParts.com, a division of
CarParts Technologies, and JC Whitney Company, the largest direct marketer of
name-brand automotive parts and accessories, jointly announced today that
JC Whitney will become the exclusive licensee of CarParts.com consumer
business.
    JC Whitney, based in Chicago, Ill., will license the CarParts.com URL and
provide all sales and service fulfillment for the more than 1 million unique
visitors that shop on the site each month.  In addition, the two companies are
discussing other ways to leverage CarParts Technologies' supply chain
solutions for the automotive aftermarket.
    Tim Ford, president of JC Whitney, said the licensing agreement would
result in a superior shopping experience for automotive enthusiasts.
    "We are very glad to be working with CarParts.com," Ford said.  "They have
developed sophisticated systems and a strong following with their consumer
business."
    JC Whitney, which has been operating since 1915, introduced its website as
a complement to its direct marketing business in 1997.  Since its launch, the
site has been continually improved with new products and customer service
features.
    "The customers and products that CarParts.com provides, supports our
multi-channel approach to the automotive marketplace -- furthering our vision
of JCWhitney: 'Everything Automotive,'" Ford said.
    Launched in April 1999, CarParts.com quickly became one of the leading
e-tailing sites for automotive enthusiasts shopping for engine parts,
accessories, and performance products.
    CarParts Technologies, the parent company, is one of the leading providers
of supply chain management solutions to the automotive aftermarket, a
$150 billion industry in the U.S.  The company has more than 2,500 customers
using its solutions, including manufacturers, warehouse distributors, jobbers,
service chains and independent repair shops.
    Alan Bennett, CarParts Technologies chief executive officer, said the
license agreement with JC Whitney is another milestone in the company's
mission to provide innovative and intelligent solutions to the automotive
aftermarket.
    "Innovation, creativity and an unwavering commitment for superior design
and performance are the hallmarks of our consumer technology division,"
Bennett said.  "Those same practices apply in the development of our
aftermarket business applications and they will serve us well in the years
ahead as we expand our commercial customer base throughout North America."

    About JC Whitney
    Established in 1915, JC Whitney & Co. is the largest direct marketer of
name-brand automotive parts and accessories, providing "everything automotive"
with more than 60,000 items covering more than 4.2 million automotive
applications from the latest model year back to the 1920s.  JC Whitney offers
products for virtually any vehicle -- automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, and
more -- through its comprehensive family of general and vehicle-specific
catalogs and on the World Wide Web at http://www.jcwhitney.com .

    About CarParts Technologies
    Founded in 1997, CarParts Technologies, Inc., is a leading provider of
supply-chain solutions and business applications for the automotive
aftermarket.  CarParts Technologies develops secure, private exchange networks
that streamline the process of locating, ordering, buying and selling
automotive products.  To date, CarParts Technologies has received venture
capital funding from St. Paul Venture Capital, @Ventures, the affiliated
venture capital arm of CMGI, Rho Management, Barnard & Co., Investor AB Group,
Brand Equity Ventures, and Ravenswood Capital Corp.
(http://www.carpartstechnologies.com )

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