May 28, 2009

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 launches SPRConnect, a Web 2.0 private business network for SPR Advantage customers

SPRConnect provides SPR Advantage Dealers a business networking site to share ideas, best practices, and seek advice and tips from fellow dealers around the country. It allows individuals to set up a personal profile that cites their areas of interest and expertise. Users can then visually identify and connect with other dealers facing the same challenges or who have experience in a particular area such as telesales or marketing.

Sandra Williams, S.P. Richards Company Director of Dealer Training said, "SPRConnect provides dealers a tremendous networking resource. It is a natural extension of the networking that takes place each year at the Advantage Business Conference and gives dealers a great way to leverage the collective knowledge and experience of their peers."

The SPRConnect program is available to all SPR Advantage Dealers and is accessed through the S.P. Richards Dealer Services Internet Portal under the Advantage Online Tools link. Interested dealers should contact their S.P. Richards Sales Representative for additional details.

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, cleaning and breakroom supplies from all of the major industry manufacturers. S.P. Richards Company markets several private label lines under the brand names of Lorell, Integra, Sparco, Genuine Joe, Nature Saver, Compucessory, and Elite Image. The company operates 43 Distribution Centers in the United States and Canada.

Genuine Parts Company is a distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Company also distributes industrial replacement parts in the U.S. and Canada through its Motion Industries subsidiary. S. P. Richards Company, the Office Products Group, distributes business products nationwide in the U.S. and in Canada. The Electrical/Electronic Group, EIS, Inc., distributes electrical and electronic components throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Genuine Parts Company had 2008 revenues of $11.0 billion.