For Immediate Release DATE: January 15 , 2002

S.P. Richards Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Genuine Parts Company (GPC:NYSE) and leading wholesale distributor of business and office supplies, announced today….

S.P. Richards Company's Internet-based business products information resource, iteminfo.com, continues to experience an ever increasing number of hits - doubling from the previous year. The continued increase in the number of visitors is a testament to the site's value to both dealers and end-users. Features available on the site include expanded product information, a broader new products focus, consumer rebates and a complete ribbon/cartridge compatibility chart.

Iteminfo.com provides added value to dealers, consumers and vendors, alike. Dealers benefit from the many features iteminfo.com has to offer, providing a comprehensive information repository with numerous useful tools for their internal resources and their customers. Vendors receive brand name exposure, and a significantly faster "product to market" capability. For example, iteminfo.com now features the Item of the Week. This new feature showcases new products to dealers and consumers - immediately upon introduction by the manufacturer.

"We are constantly working to enhance the content on the site," said Paul Gatens, S.P. Richards Director, E-Commerce. "Dealer feedback on iteminfo.com has been tremendous."

S.P. Richards Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Genuine Parts Company (GPC: NYSE), distributes a wide spectrum of business products to office products resellers throughout the U.S. and Canada. These products include consumable office supplies, office furniture, computer supplies, consumer electronics, and facilities supplies from all of the major industry manufacturers. S.P. Richards Company markets several private label lines under the brand names of Sparco, Nature Saver, Compucessory, and Elite Image. The company operates 44 Distribution centers in the United States and Canada, including Horizon USA, its computer supplies subsidiary and Norwestra, a Canadian based Business Products Wholesaler.

Genuine Parts Company is a diversified distribution and services company that operates four wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company is a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico; industrial replacement parts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico through its Motion Industries subsidiary; office products nationwide in the U.S. and Canada through its S.P. Richards Company subsidiary; and electrical and electronic components throughout the U.S. and Mexico through its EIS, Inc. subsidiary. Genuine Parts Company had 2000 revenues of $8.4 billion