Hahn Automotive Warehouse's iAutoparts.com Sponsors Veteran Indy Car Driver, Scott Sharp
14 July 1999
Hahn Automotive Warehouse's iAutoparts.com Sponsors Veteran Indy Car Driver, Scott Sharp
Sponsorship Will Bring Visibility to iAutoparts.com, Leading Online Automotive
Parts Store
ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 14 -- Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc.
, today announced its sponsorship of veteran Indy car driver
Scott Sharp. Sharp will immediately begin wearing the iAutoparts.com logo on
his driving suit and helmet. Sharp has an in car camera which will deliver
live images of the iAutoparts.com logo during the broadcast of the Indy Racing
League (IRL) races.
"This sponsorship," said Eli N. Futerman, president and CEO of Hahn,
"continues our aggressive promotion of our new e-Commerce business. Our
iAutoparts.com site is an innovative approach to our overall business
distribution model and extends our business reach directly to consumers
worldwide. Sponsoring Scott increases the exposure of our web site to
hundreds of thousands of our key audience."
Sharp's first race promoting the iAutoparts.com banner will be Saturday,
July 17 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway as part of the 1999 Indy Racing League.
About Scott Sharp
Sharp graduated from Babson College with a degree in Finance and
Investments. He began racing professionally in 1988 in the Trans-Am series
and won the championship in 1991 and 1993. In 1996, he was the inaugural IRL
co-champion. In 1998, he finished fourth in the IRL Championship standings
after winning Phoenix and Dover races as part of the Kelley Racing Team. He
and his family live in Indianapolis, Indiana. His family includes his wife,
Kimberly, and children, Briana and Jackson.
About Indy Racing League
The 1999 Indy Racing League schedule includes major races in 11 U.S.
cities. Races have been held in Orlando, Phoenix, Charlotte, Indianapolis,
Fort Worth, and Pikes Peak, CO. Upcoming races include: Atlanta (July 17),
Dover, DE (August 1), Pikes Peak, CO (August 29), Las Vegas (September 26),
and Fort Worth (October 17).
About iAutoparts.com
Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc. launched iAutoparts.com(R) July 6, 1999.
iAutoparts.com is the first online automotive parts store powered by the
industry's leading CCI/Triad(TM) eCommerce solution that features the
ePartExpert(TM) electronic catalog. The iAutoparts.com online automotive
parts store is available 24-hours a day. The site guides users through a
logical search to ensure accurate automotive part selection. ePartExpert
provides technical tips, parts specifications and suggestions for related
parts. iAutoparts.com offers more than 2 million nationally branded
automotive hard parts and maintenance items in inventory. This represents
$45+ million in automotive parts on-hand and available for immediate delivery
worldwide.
iAutoparts.com is operated by iAutoparts, Inc., a subsidiary of Hahn
Automotive Warehouse, Inc. which has 40 years experience in supplying
automotive parts on demand. The iAutoparts.com direct relationship with
manufacturers ensures rapid delivery of rare or hard-to-find parts and offers
nationally recognized branded manufacturers for parts selection including:
AC/Delco (GM approved original equipment replacement parts), Bendix (brake
parts), Champion Spark Plugs, Federal Mogul (automotive replacement parts),
Gates (belts and hoses), Wagner (brake and lighting products), and Wix
(filters).
"Our iAutoparts.com eStore in conjunction with CCI/Triad's ePartExpert
catalog is the only Internet site to have an extensive inventory of automotive
parts immediately available for online ordering and direct shipment to the
consumer's door within 24-hours," said Futerman.
Capitalizing on the growing $158 billion U.S. automotive aftermarket
industry and the estimated $60 billion automotive parts segment, Hahn
Automotive Warehouse added the online distribution strategy to its traditional
wholesale mix to provide an accessible and convenient option for automotive
enthusiasts and the do-it-yourself consumer. iAutoparts.com has developed a
phased crossmedia marketing campaign to attract and retain online customers.
Hahn Automotive selected CCI/Triad to implement an eCommerce solution
utilizing CCI/Triad's online automotive parts catalog known as ePartExpert.
The solution enables the online shopper to accurately search part information,
identify parts needed, enter an order and receive updates on order processing
and fulfillment. Designed specifically for automotive part selection,
ePartExpert will identify the exact parts appropriate for a particular vehicle
and will suggest the repair or replacement of other related parts. To speed
up shopping and to make repeat shopping easy, shoppers can personalize the
site by setting up a personal profile and registering their vehicles.
ePartExpert enables online, accurate access to more than 3,100 automotive
aftermarket manufacturer product lines and nearly 3 million part numbers. The
CCI/Triad online automotive parts catalog has been used by major parts
professionals for more than 15 years.
"CCI/Triad's eCommerce solutions with ePartExpert technology leverage our
industry-leading Automotive Aftermarket management information systems," said
Glenn E. Staats, Chairman and CEO of CCI/Triad. "In addition, our new
eCommerce Solution and ePartExpert represent key milestones in fulfilling our
'Automotive Aftermarket Information Highway(TM)' strategy and vision."
About Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc.
Based in Rochester, N.Y., Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc., is a
distributor of automotive aftermarket products. The Company purchases more
than 150,000 aftermarket parts as well as maintenance items, accessories and
private label products from more than 250 manufacturers. Hahn distributes
these products though a network of more than 1,100 independent jobbing stores,
and 80 company-owned Advantage Auto Stores and now online via the
iAutoparts.com site. The distribution network consists of 10 full service
distribution centers, four specialty distribution centers and nine direct
distribution centers, located along the Eastern Seaboard and in the Midwest.
The statements contained in this press release which are not historical
facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements as to industry
trends, future economic performance, anticipated profitability, anticipated
revenues and expenses, and products or service line growth. Investors are
cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual
results may differ materially from the future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors
that might cause such a difference include those risks and uncertainties
identified in Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc.'s ("the Company") Annual Report
on Form 10-K, dated December 22, 1998, which has been filed with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission. Other risks and uncertainties
which may affect actual results, include but are not limited to, failure of
the autoparts e-commerce industry to develop at anticipated rates, failure of
the Company's e-commerce products and services to gain significant market
acceptance, competition, the ability of the Company to protect its proprietary
rights and the continued development and viability of the Internet. The
Company assumes no duty to update information contained in this press release
at any time.
Automotive Aftermarket Information Highway and ePartExpert are trademarks
of Cooperative Computing Inc. iAutoparts, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hahn
Automotive Warehouse, Inc. and iAutoparts.com is a trademark owned by Hahn
Automotive Warehouse, Inc.
CONTACT: Lauren S. Peters of ChrismanPeters Group, 512-345-8969, or
email, lauren@chrismanpeters.com, for Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc.