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Pechiney Rolls Out BestTransport.com System; Ravenswood, W.Va., Facility Launched Today

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 15 /PRNewswire/ — Pechiney Rolled Products commenced its launch of BestTransport.com, Inc.'s suite of transportation management tools today, it was announced by Mike Bird, Pechiney's Manager of Transportation Services. "The addition of Pechiney to our stable of clients further solidifies our position within the metals industry as premier application service provider of transportation e-procurement and e-management systems," said J. Vincent Ciroli, BestTransport's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Going with the BestTransport solution was an easy decision," said Bird. " Reducing our costs was a secondary issue with us because we feel we are cost- competitive. What drove this decision was the number of carriers already utilizing their system, and that availability of carriers will allow us to broaden our transportation supplier base."

The recently signed user agreement calls for BestTransport to launch at the Ravenswood, W.Va., facility today. The agreement also calls for BestTransport's suite of tools to be simultaneously implemented at Pechiney's outside processors — companies that provide further processing of Pechiney aluminum coil and flat stock. Bird said, "The system is very user friendly and will provide us with a wealth of information that we haven't been able to wrap our arms around before. BestTransport will allow us to manage our business better and more efficiently, thus providing better service for our customers."

The implementation and the integration of the BestTransport system with Pechiney's existing operating systems already is underway and on schedule, said Rick Frio, BestTransport's chief networking officer. "We maintained our schedule for today's launch that will allow Pechiney to begin communicating with its carrier base through the web. In just four weeks from our signing the user agreement, we are up and running 100 percent." "That's another factor that heavily influenced our decision," Bird said. "No other company can provide the cost-effective, timely integration that way that BestTransport has promised and has delivered. They've been ready to move forward with the integration from Day 1."

About Pechiney
Pechiney is an international group that is listed on the Paris (PECH.PA) and New York (NYSE: PY) stock exchanges. Its two main sectors are aluminum and packaging. With a presence in 51 countries, Pechiney achieved sales of EUR 11 billion in 2001, with 34,500 employees.

About BestTransport
BestTransport is the leading application service provider (ASP) of transportation management systems for shippers and carriers. The company's web- enabled system provides shippers and carriers the ability to integrate easily with each other while simultaneously providing cost savings and efficiency gains for each. The company has some of the leading shippers in the metals and lumber industries as customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and with offices in Kalama, Wash., Lake Worth, Fla., and Wheeling, W.Va., BestTransport's solutions help companies execute all of the activities involved in truck transportation, from planning to proof of delivery, while requiring minimal change in current business practices. For more information, visit our website, www.besttransport.com or contact us personally, 614.416.9988.