ACDelcoPartsOnline.com Earns Top Honors From National Catalog Managers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 20, 2004 -- Florida Automotive Distributing, Inc. (FAD) was recently awarded the President's Award for Catalog Excellence for its innovative online catalog ACDelcoPartsOnline.com by The National Catalog Managers Association (NCMA), The site won top honors in Web Cataloging at the Catalog Excellence Awards held during the annual NCMA Knowledge Exchange Conference in Orlando.

The site includes full-color images (including dual images) for parts, non-application data, and real-world service procedures to assist technicians in the field. The catalog ( www.acdelcopartsonline.com ) is just one version of a centralized database which provides data to several other web catalogs for other warehouse distributors and parts stores. The catalog features product lines from ACDelco and several other aftermarket manufacturers. FAD has tapped Insignia Group LC, a spin-off of FAD dedicated to developing catalogs and internet-based business solutions, to market and expand the catalog under the name Counterman's Tool.

"For nearly five years, we have been cataloging automotive parts online with the philosophy that only true parts professionals can develop the best catalog," said Say Patel, Marketing Director for FAD. "Having this philosophy validated by the top cataloging managers in the aftermarket industry is very exciting. It tells us that our efforts and focus on training the next generation of parts professionals are worth it."

FAD also draws on its more than 50-year history in the automotive aftermarket. "So many of us come from a background of turning wrenches," said Patel. "What we've done is create a process to capture all that real world experience and catalog parts around it."

According to David Stringer, Project Manager of FAD's ACDelcoPartsOnline.com, relying on experienced parts professionals to build and maintain the site has been the key to success from the beginning. FAD launched its first online catalog in February 2000 at the Las Vegas Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) show.

Stringer said that they have continued to develop and perfect their cataloging practices since the MACS show.

"We really turned heads at that show because we were the first true online catalog," said Stringer. "But then and now, it is our parts people who make this catalog so much better than any other, and why there are a lot of people trying to catch up to what we have been doing for years."

Florida Automotive Distributing, Inc. has been a member of the NCMA for two years. It is part of the ACDelco Dedicated Distribution Group and a distributor of GM Accessories. In addition to its wholesale parts business, FAD operates service centers and wholesale parts locations throughout the west coast of Florida. It was named "Outstanding Business of the Year" for 2002 by the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.

Founded in 1973, the National Catalog Managers Association consists of more than 150 member representatives from automotive companies across the United States and Canada. NCMA's annual conference, the Knowledge Exchange, brings together members and their trading partners for educational seminars and a trade show. Additional information is available at www.ncmacat.org .

   FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
   David Stringer
   Florida Automotive Distributing, Inc.
   Insignia Group
   704-588-0142
   704-588-6274 (fax)
   dstringer@insigniagroup.com