QDS/CCITRIAD Partner to Deliver Business Information Solutions to Automotive Aftermarket

    BOISE, Idaho--Oct. 29, 2001--Quality Design Systems, Inc. (QDS), a business information solutions provider delivering integrated point-of-sale (POS) and accounting systems to the tire and automotive industries, announced today that it has formed a partnership with CCITRIAD, the leading provider of management and information systems to the automotive aftermarket and hardlines and lumber industry.
    The partnership is aimed at bringing a highly integrated suite of business management software tools to tire retail/commercial businesses and automotive repair/service shops.
    During the upcoming 2001 SEMA International Tire Expo the companies will outline plans to link their industry-leading software products. This will allow access through QDS' flagship product, QDS TireMaster(R) to CCITRIAD's LaserCat 2000(TM) software and PartExpert(TM) and LaborExpert(TM) electronic catalogs. As a result, tire and automotive repair shops will be able to create work orders in QDS TireMaster that can look up any system on any car and access the parts and labor figures associated with the corresponding work order. As a result, QDS customers will no longer need to physically look through parts catalogs and enter the data. In addition, the resulting information will be integrated into the QDS TireMaster POS, accounting and inventory control functions.
    "Automotive repair and service shops will be able to perform a side-by-side comparison of available part options, identify possible interferences they may encounter during a repair or service, package all necessary components, then utilize the resulting work order information for a variety of business management functions," said Ed Engel, president of QDS. "What we are delivering to the automotive aftermarket is a comprehensive set of business management capabilities designed to lower operating costs, streamline business processes and increase profitability."
    For QDS, the partnership with CCITRIAD enables the company to expand its market penetration beyond its historic base of tire retailers and into the broader automotive aftermarket - a market in which CCITRIAD has clearly established itself as a leader in electronic parts and labor catalogs with 70,000 counter users of their data.
    "Our relationship with QDS fits perfectly with CCITRIAD's shift from direct sales and installation of new shop management systems and toward strategic partnerships and licensing arrangements with third-party information management providers," noted Harry Cousins, Director of Business Development for CCITRIAD. "Not only does QDS bring tremendous value to our existing customer base, but we also see great potential for growing our market share by offering a more complete business information management solution."

    About QDS/CCITRIAD

    Headquartered in Meridian, Idaho, QDS develops and delivers business information solutions for specialized retail markets. Leveraging an expertise in integrated point-of-sale (POS) and accounting software, QDS technical support and training staff work closely with customers to adapt each software package to the circumstances of their business. The company's flagship product, QDS TireMaster(TM), is currently the leading business management software product for tire retailers. For more information about QDS and its products, contact Brian Critchfield at (208) 855-0781, or visit QDS on the Internet at www.qds-solutions.com.
    CCITRIAD, a division of Cooperative Computing Inc., has a more than 25-year history of leading the design, development, and servicing of management information systems and solutions to the automotive aftermarket and hardlines and lumber industries. CCITRIAD's system offerings are enhanced by extensive information services featuring highly specialized database products and customer support and maintenance services. CCITRIAD is headquartered in Austin, TX., and has operations in Livermore, CA., Denver, CO., Canada, France, Ireland and the UK. For more information on CCITRIAD, visit the Web site at http://www.ccitriad.com.