For Immediate Release DATE: June 4 , 2001

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….

A newly formed relationship with Targus Inc., the leading global supplier of portable solutions. Under the agreement, Targus' best-selling products will be offered through S.P. Richards' network of independent and national business-product resellers.

S.P. Richards will offer award-winning Targus products such as Stowaway portable keyboards, security accessories like the popular Defcon 1 notebook alarm and a wide selection of Targus premium notebook carrying cases.

"Our new partnership with S.P. Richards will help raise Targus brand recognition to a new level," said Adrian Rice, Vice President of Office Products Group, Targus Inc. S.P. Richards' successful focus on the office products distribution channel is the perfect vehicle for us to further strengthen Targus' product-awareness within the corporate-office community."

"We're pleased to offer our dealers access to Targus products through S.P. Richards' distribution system," said Steve Lynn, Vice President of Merchandising for S.P. Richards. "The market has indicated that notebook computer and PDA accessory purchasing has begun to gravitate towards the office supply channel. Adding a strong brand name like Targus to our supplier list positions S.P. Richards' at the forefront of this high-growth category."

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