Experian Automotive to provide complete range of services to automotive industry

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 10 -- Experian, a leading provider of global information solutions, today introduced Experian Automotive, an automotive information services division. Experian Automotive provides consulting services, direct marketing and database tools to the automotive industry, allowing companies to reach their target audiences with relevant and appealing offers at precisely the right buying moment.

``Until now, the North American automotive data provider market was serviced by a small number of companies,'' said Ken Kauppila, executive vice president of Experian Automotive. ``Experian's core data assets including automotive, demographic, business and financial capabilities position us to be a formidable competitor in this industry.''

Based on its National Vehicle Database, which contains information on more than 384 million motor vehicles nationwide, Experian Automotive provides marketers with information needed to identify and reach their target markets more efficiently. Users can accurately predict individuals who are in the market for a new vehicle, service or parts upgrades as well as analyze purchase patterns and trends.

Experian Automotive's information suite contains more than 15 product solutions, driven by the data in its award winning National Vehicle Database. The National Vehicle Database, which is comprised of 15.6 billion records on more than 384 million vehicles, provides information solutions to various audiences in the automotive industry, including consumers, dealers, advertising agencies and automotive manufacturers.

``The formation of the Experian Automotive brand magnifies the ongoing commitment from our parent company to the automotive industry and allows us to continue driving world-class product offerings to this market,'' said Kauppila.

Recently, the National Vehicle Database was recognized by the Winter Corporation as the world's 10th largest database and winner of The Data Warehousing Institute's 2001 Best Practices in Data Warehousing Award in the category of customer relationship management.

According to Kauppila, Experian Automotive positioned itself for strong growth into the future and is developing products compatible with the variety of media used in arenas such as dealerships and direct to consumer, including pagers, e-mail, traditional mail, wireless and Internet devices.

``Experian offers fully integrated customer relationship management capabilities. From customer data file enhancement, to segmentation and profiling, to automated mail piece fulfillment to campaign management, Experian is positioned to take e-CRM steps beyond the focus of most companies in the marketplace,'' said Kauppila.

About Experian

Experian enables organizations to find the best prospects and make fast, informed decisions to improve and personalize relationships with their customers. It does this by combining sophisticated and intelligent decision- making software and systems with some of the world's most comprehensive databases of information on consumers, businesses, motor vehicles and property. Through multi-channel delivery of its Web-based products and services, Experian enables its clients to conduct secure and profitable e- business and develop state-of-the-art Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems for communicating and building one-to-one relationships with customers. Experian is a subsidiary of GUS plc and has headquarters in Nottingham, UK, and Orange, Calif. Its 12,000 people support clients in more than 50 countries. Annual sales are approximately $1.5 billion.

Experian Automotive offers a complete range of automotive information solutions to manufacturers, dealers, finance and insurance companies and marketing agencies. Experian's state-of-the-art technology, consulting services, direct marketing and database tools assist companies serving the automotive industry to better understand existing customers, effectively target new prospects, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately reach its business objectives. The company's National Vehicle Database is an expansive database housing information on more than 384 million motor vehicles nationwide, serving as the basic building block from which all of Experian's automotive solutions originate.

For