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AEI And CRC Group Sign Letter Of Intent To Form A New Joint Venture Delivering A True Integrated Logistics And Service Management Solution For The High-Tech And Telecommunications Industry In Europe

Staines, UK (December 6, 1999) -- Computer and telecommunications manufacturers will be able to source total European logistics and service management from a single supplier with the launch of a new joint venture organisation by AEI and the CRC Group (www.crc-group.com).

Patrick Conafray, Group Development Director of CRC (left) and Hans Rietveld, Director Business Development Logistic Services, Europe, AEI (right)

AEI and CRC have signed a letter of intent as a commitment to launch the new business, which will provide a truly integrated solution for customers – service management, repair and replacement, inventory and logistics management. The service offering will be launched officially early next year.

Established for nearly 20 years, CRC has over 400 employees at seven sites in Europe. The company undertakes the repair management of over 800,000 high tech electronics and telecommunications products each year and generates annual revenues of some $60 million.

As part of its ‘advanced replacement’ defective product flow, CRC steps in immediately when a customer identifies a service problem with a product sourced from one of CRC’s clients. It’s highly trained, multi-lingual European support team responds to all customer enquiries, offering expert advice across a wide range of operating systems and peripherals. Comprehensive reporting on service levels and failure analysis is core to the service offering.

Like AEI, CRC has invested in a bespoke information solution to manage the strategic requirements of its complex business. Its ‘WILFRED’ system controls CRC’s entire business, covering product database, tracking, repair schedules, sales activity, sales order processing and invoicing, purchase order processing, management reporting, field service, technical support and its helpdesk.

In the new partnership, customers will receive the dual benefit of CRC and AEI’s strong European and global logistics infrastructure, it’s dominant airfreight and European road delivery services and award-winning information and Internet systems.

Hans Rietveld, Director Business Development Logistic Services, Europe, commented: "Our joint venture business will offer total logistics and service management solutions for High Tech, Electronics organisations using the proven skills and expertise of our two companies. We believe we are creating a true competitive edge with the capability of providing the innovative solutions major manufacturers are seeking for both logistics and service management."

"This is in response to our customers’ desire to see a seamless service and logistics process without the need to control various subcontractors for different elements of the business on a cross border basis. We see an opportunity to streamline this whole process and improve customer satisfaction, creating a new benchmark for the customer service industry."

"AEI and CRC already share many of the same customers in the high tech and telecommunications sectors," said Patrick Conafray, Group Development Director of CRC. "We evaluated a high number of freight and logistics companies but in AEI we have identified a partner with a long-established track record of service excellence and which shares our philosophy in terms of high quality customer service and value."

"This joint venture means we can go beyond the traditional vendor/supplier relationship. The size and buying power of the new business means we can bid for the total logistics and service management package. We are under increasing pressure to reduce lead times and add value to our role and in association with AEI, we believe we have the best possible response. Our shared vision of an innovative solution package to differing sectors of the market, is ground breaking and world class in concept."

Headquartered in Darien, CT, AEI is a world leader in integrated logistics services, delivering multi-modal transportation, warehousing and distribution, customs brokerage and information management solutions across a network of 711 locations in 135 countries. AEI's stock trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol AEIC.

For further information please contact:
Jamie Roche
Jamie Roche Public Relations
Tel: 44-1753 621666
Fax: 44 1753 621888