GlobalAutoIndustry.com Expands Its Global Sourcing Solutions with New Partnership

TROY, Mich.--April 26, 2005--GlobalAutoIndustry.com, the leading worldwide portal and intelligence source for the automotive industry, today announced its partnership with Aptium Global, a sourcing advisory firm to help automotive suppliers save money on their direct material purchases. Through Aptium Global's unique Lean Sourcing(TM) and pay-as-you-save(TM) approach, suppliers can cut costs, improve cash flow, and accelerate their bottom line.

This unique initiative offers suppliers help in setting up and defining a sourcing strategy. Whether automotive suppliers need help identifying, qualifying, negotiating with, and implementing suppliers in China, India, Eastern Europe, or in the U.S., this new partnership will help suppliers understand whether it makes the most sense to source offshore - or right in their own backyard.

"We are extremely pleased with this new partnership as we believe it offers something truly unique in the sourcing area," says Michael DaMour, director of GlobalAutoSourcing, a division of GlobalAutoIndustry.com, adding "Anytime you can offer a solution that will help suppliers to cut costs and increase their bottom line, that's a good thing. Also, we have seen over the past year that suppliers are looking for low cost sourcing solutions, but aren't sure whether it should be China, India, Russia, the U.S., Europe, Latin America or where. Now, this partnership can give them those answers."

"Aptium Global is excited to be a partner of GlobalAutoIndustry.com," said Lisa Reisman, Managing Director, Aptium Global. "By working closely with automotive suppliers, Aptium Global helps determine and implement an optimal supply base to reduce costs and improve quality. We believe that our relationship with GlobalAutoIndustry.com will help domestic automobile suppliers to become more competitive in the global marketplace."

About Aptium Global

Aptium Global, Inc. works with small to medium-sized manufacturers and to improve supplier quality and save money by reducing sourcing and material costs. With a primary emphasis on direct material sourcing and global logistics, Aptium Global helps clients develop and deploy global supply management programs.

Aptium Global's international team uses Six Sigma and lean techniques as part of its core offering. The company deploys a variety of strategic sourcing methodologies to identify purchasing cost reduction opportunities and to create competitive negotiation environments with incumbent and new suppliers, while also delivering a range of implementation, logistics and 4PL capabilities to help customers realize identified savings opportunities without adding headcount or internal cost.

About GlobalAutoIndustry.com

GlobalAutoIndustry.com is a B2B publishing and marketing company, and connects the worldwide auto supplier industry with the resources to effectively do business globally. Through the web site, www.GlobalAutoIndustry.com, auto supplier executives can find insight, solutions and strategies focused on doing business in the world's top automotive markets.

Monthly eJournals provide targeted information and insight on doing business in foreign markets and GlobalAutoIndustry.com Solutions provide effective international answers to suppliers' global business and operational needs.

The Company's publications include CHINAtalk, ASIAtalk, EUROtalk, AMERItalk, LATINtalk and GLOBALtalk HR eJournals, and are distributed to over 21,000 automotive industry executives worldwide.

Parent company, HCI Group Ltd., is based in Troy, Mich., with European headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.