Wheatland Tube Company Selects Ryder to Provide Transportation Management Services; Ryder to Plan and Execute Shipments for Leading Manufacturer of Steel Pipe and Tubing

    MIAMI--April 2, 2002--Ryder System, Inc. , a global leader in transportation and supply chain management solutions, has been selected by New Jersey-based Wheatland Tube Company, recognized as a world leader in the manufacture of continuous weld and electric weld tubular products, to design and implement a transportation management program. The program is designed to cost-effectively transport the company's products, which are used in plumbing, mechanical, electrical, sprinkler and fence applications, throughout the U.S.
    Ryder will plan and manage shipments from Wheatland's ISO 9002-certified manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Illinois to Wheatland's U.S. customers. The Wheatland transportation management program will be coordinated through Ryder's state-of-the-art Transportation Management Center (TMC) in Fort Worth, Texas. Ryder services provided under the agreement include: shipment execution; carrier procurement and management; and freight bill audit and payment.
    "Our decision to outsource these functions was strongly influenced by our site visit to Ryder's Transportation Management Center and by the depth of knowledge the Ryder team demonstrated in the area of carrier procurement," said Tim Boylan, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Wheatland's parent company, John Maneely Company.
    "Wheatland is a well-known leader in continuous weld and electric weld tubular products," said Bill Jones, Ryder's Vice President of Transportation Management Sales. "The services Ryder has been selected to provide will allow Wheatland's team to increase its leadership in those sectors while having the confidence of knowing its transportation needs are being managed by a technology-driven global organization with nearly 70 years of experience in specialized transportation solutions."
    Ryder's transportation management solution for Wheatland is being implemented in phases in order to provide for a smooth transition to the new operating model. "Wheatland's operations and management teams are among the best in the business. The depth of knowledge of their core business is evidenced by their success," said Todd Skiles, Ryder's Director of Business Development for Transportation Management Services. "That knowledge base, combined with the high levels of cooperation we are experiencing throughout the Ryder-Wheatland project team, places us on course for the solution to be fully implemented by April 15, 2002.

    About Wheatland Tube Company

    Wheatland Tube Company is recognized as a world leader in the manufacture of continuous weld and electric weld tubular products. Wheatland's roots date back to 1877 when the John Maneely Company (JMC) was formed. Today, John Maneely Company serves as the parent company for three Wheatland Tube Company Divisions and two Seminole Tubular Products Divisions. For more information on Wheatland Tube Company, visit http://www.wheatland.com.

    About Ryder System, Inc.

    Ryder provides leading-edge logistics, supply chain and transportation management solutions worldwide. Ryder's product offerings range from full-service leasing, commercial rental and programmed maintenance of vehicles to integrated services such as dedicated contract carriage and carrier management. Additionally, Ryder offers comprehensive supply chain solutions, consulting, lead logistics management services and e-Business solutions that support customers' entire supply chains, from inbound raw materials and parts through distribution and delivery of finished goods. Ryder serves customer needs throughout North America, in Latin America, Europe and Asia.
    For the fifth consecutive year, Ryder was featured in the 2001 Fortune Most Admired Companies survey of corporate reputations and has ranked among the top five in its industry category since 1997. Forbes named Ryder to its "Magnetic 40" as "Best in Transportation and Logistics" for creating a "network of partnerships that can spur growth, innovation and most important, serve customers better." InternetWeek named Ryder as one of the top 100 U.S. companies for effectiveness in using the Internet to achieve tangible business benefits. For the fourth consecutive year, Inbound Logistics recognized Ryder in 2001 as the top third-party logistics provider. The National Safety Council selected Ryder to receive the 2002 Green Cross for Safety Medal - its highest honor - for exemplary commitment to workplace safety and corporate citizenship.
    Ryder's stock is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. With 2001 revenue of $5.01 billion, Ryder ranks 341st on the Fortune 500 list and 319th on the Forbes 500.
    For more information on Ryder System, Inc., visit http://www.ryder.com.