FinishMaster Announces Acquisition of Denver, Colorado-Based Advance Paint, LLC

    INDIANAPOLIS--July 3, 2003--FinishMaster, Inc. announced today the acquisition of Advance Paint, LLC in Denver, Colorado -- the 19th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Prior to the acquisition, Advance operated three branches in the Denver area while FinishMaster operated two.
    This acquisition increases our market share in a rapidly growing metropolitan area and helps us pursue our strategy of becoming the low cost distributor," stated J. A. Lacy, President and Chief Operating Officer. "It adds depth to our sales force while also allowing us to reduce fixed operating costs through the consolidation of two overlapping branch locations."
    FinishMaster is the leading national independent distributor of automotive paints, coatings, and related accessories to the automotive collision repair industry. FinishMaster is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and operates three major distribution centers with 159 branches in 25 of the 35 largest metropolitan areas in the country.
    For more information on FinishMaster via the Internet, visit FinishMaster's website at http://www.finishmaster.com/ or Corporate News on the Net page at http://www.businesswire.com/companyspecific/.