New research from Pembroke Consulting

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CONTACT: RANDY RYERSON 
Phone: 215-789-2690
rryerson@PembrokeConsulting.com

NAW & Pembroke Consulting Announce All-New Wholesale Distribution Industry
Report Facing the Forces of Change?? The Road to Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 8, 2003 - The National Association of
Wholesaler-Distributors' (NAW) Distribution Research and Education
Foundation (DREF) and Pembroke Consulting today announced an all-new edition
of the leading wholesale distribution industry report Facing the Forces of
Change will be released in March 2004.

The new report, titled Facing the Forces of Change? The Road to Opportunity,
provides strategic insights into key trends impacting the wholesale
distribution supply chain through 2008. The new report covers key industry
demographics, four major trends impacting wholesaler-distributors,
competitive threats to distributors, supply chain technology, salesforce
issues, manufacturer relations, and much more. To order, visit
http://www.nawpubs.org or call 202-872-0885.

"The Facing the Forces of Change series occupies a unique position in the
distribution industry and in the analysis of supply chain and marketing
channels," said DREF Executive Director Ron Schreibman. "The new edition of
the study builds on a tradition of excellence by bringing together an
unprecedented volume of information to help wholesale distribution
executives prepare for the future."

The report was written and researched by Pembroke Consulting President and
NAW/DREF Fellow Adam J. Fein, Ph.D. and his team of wholesale distribution
experts. Fein will preview the study's findings in a special presentation on
January 28, 2004, in Washington, D.C., during NAW's Executive Summit. For
more information or to register, visit http://www.nawmeetings.org/am2004/.

"Our report documents how the traditional ways distributors make money and
grow will be rewritten by the combined influence of customer buying
behavior, emerging competitors, and the proliferation of technology in the
supply chain," said Fein. "However, wholesaler-distributors have many new
opportunities to put themselves on the road to renewed relevance and
increased profits in the years ahead."

Facing the Forces of Change? The Road to Opportunity draws upon a broad set
of data including in-depth interviews with more than 100 senior distribution
executives, manufacturers, customers, analysts, professors, and association
executives. The report also includes survey responses from 1,000 wholesale
distribution executives and 400 senior manufacturing executives.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (http://www.naw.org) is
a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents the wholesale
distribution industry. 

Pembroke Consulting (http://www.PembrokeConsulting.com) develops business
and marketing strategies for leading wholesale distribution, manufacturing
and B2B technology companies. 

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