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 subsidiary Norwestra, a Canadian-based Business Products Wholesaler, has changed their name to S.P. Richards Canada.

"S.P. Richards Company and Norwestra both have a long history of providing outstanding service to their customers," said Roger Woodward, Managing Director of S.P. Richards Canada. "We feel like we've merged the best of both companies and our new name recognizes the commitment S.P. Richards has made to supporting the Canadian market."

S.P. Richards Canada has full-stocking distribution centers in Toronto and Vancouver and furniture only facilities located in Calgary and Winnipeg.

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 43 Distribution Centers in the United States and Canada, including Horizon USA, its computer supplies subsidiary and Norwestra, a Canadian based Business

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 2001 revenues of $8.2 billion.