Motion Industries Announces Implementation of New Communication Technology

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--Sept. 4, 2002--Motion Industries, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company announces the implementation of new technology to streamline supply chain communication. This technology is based on the extension of Internet Protocol (IP) to every employee desktop allowing access to internal web-based product and application information, "always on" e-mail and streamlined access to external sources including customer, supplier and technical information over the web.

"Our objective with this project was to provide more timely and effective communication with our customers, suppliers and field operations," said president and chief executive officer Bill Stevens. "With this technology, all of our branches will receive critical time-sensitive information instantly."

"Motion Industries has always excelled in providing its sales force with superior product and supplier information," said chief information officer Ellen Holladay. "Now we've extended that capability by providing rich web-based content to each employee's desktop using a cost-effective thin client technology."

As part of this implementation, Motion Industries has introduced a new company intranet that provides real-time access to company communication, reference material and operational reports eliminating all routine paper communication to the more than 500 Motion Industries locations in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The new technology is supported by Motion Industries' integrated communication network and reinforces the foundation of 24/7/365 availability to customers and supply chain partners. This expands the sales force's capacity to reinforce long-term customer relationships and build new customer partnerships.

With 2001 sales in excess of $2.2 billion, Motion Industries is the world's largest distributor of bearings, mechanical power transmission, electrical power transmission and fluid power transmission replacement parts, and hose products. Motion Industries has more than 500 operations including nine distribution centers throughout North America and services more than 150,000 customers including automotive, chemical, food, beverage, wood/lumber, iron, oil, pulp and paper, steel and textile industries.

Visit our websites at www.motionindustries.com and www.motionmro.com.