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Steel Warehouse Joins the BestTransport Network

Leading Integrated Steel Service Center to Use BestTransport's On-line Transportation Execution System to Ensure On-time Delivery and Control Freight Costs

COLUMBUS, Ohio (December 9, 2003) — BestTransport, the leading provider of on-line Transportation Execution Systems (TES), announced today that Steel Warehouse has joined the BestTransport Network to ensure customers' delivery requirements are met and to control freight costs as the Department of Transportation's new Hours of Service Regulations go into effect and threaten to drive up industry costs.

Steel Warehouse, an integrated steel service center headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, will use BestTransport to automate and centralize the transportation execution process for its main plant and five branch facilities. By using BestTransport's TES, Steel Warehouse can support their customers just-in-time (JIT) processing requirements by ensuring loads are covered and delivered on time.

Steel Warehouse will securely access the BestTransport TES via the Internet to automate the process of creating and booking loads with carriers and to track a shipment through delivery. By eliminating the need to iteratively phone, e-mail and fax carriers, Steel Warehouse can focus on securing the optimal carrier to control costs and ensure on-time delivery. Steel Warehouse will also be able to leverage the key data captured by the BestTransport TES to analyze the transportation function and continually improve the process.

Steel Warehouse also owns and operates their own fleet of trucks in addition to using common carriers to satisfy customer delivery requirements. The BestTransport TES will be used to manage both groups of carriers to ensure a completely automated process. As both a shipper and carrier, Steel Warehouse is able to realize additional value through the BestTransport Network. "BestTransport's execution system not only improves our shipping process, but their Network is a powerful community of shippers and carriers that represents opportunities for us as a fleet owner," said Bill Lerman, vice president, operations, Steel Warehouse. "BestTransport was able to identify other shippers in their Network that represented back-haul opportunities for our fleet, which is a win-win for everyone in the community."

Steel Warehouse's decision to join the BestTransport Network was based on BestTransport's focus and commitment to the metals industry and ability to provide value to both shippers and carriers within the community. In addition, Steel Warehouse wanted to utilize a hosted solution without the complications of building or implementing in-house software. "Steel Warehouse is a customer centric company that has always viewed delivery schedules and transportation costs as major components in the entire picture of servicing customer needs," said Mark Shary, BestTransport's president. "We are pleased to have Steel Warehouse as part of the BestTransport Network and to assist them with meeting and exceeding their customers' expectations."

Steel Warehouse Company, Inc.
Steel Warehouse is an integrated steel service center providing numerous processing services for the delivery of production-ready steel to metal stampers, formers, fabricators and manufacturers. The company services a variety of industries to include automotive, agriculture, appliance, truck/trailer and construction equipment. A family owned and managed company headquartered in South Bend, IN, Steel Warehouse operates a central plant and five branch facilities that service customers in over 25 states and that employ more than 600 people. It also has entered into a number of cooperative ventures with other firms. Steel Warehouse is one of several steel processing and metal forming companies organized into a privately owned, industrial network known as Lerman Enterprises. For more information, visit www.steelwarehouse.com.

About BestTransport
BestTransport is the leading provider of online Transportation Execution Systems (BestTES) for companies that use trucks for outbound and inbound freight. Shippers and third party logistics providers utilize the BestTES to control freight costs, increase staff productivity and improve delivery service levels. Members of the BestTransport community securely access the Network via the Internet and use the BestTES to automate all aspects of transportation execution, including creating loads, selecting carriers, tracking shipments and consolidating freight bills. And, unlike purchasing software, with the BestTES there are no upfront licensing commitments and members only pay for the value received. The BestTransport Network processes thousands of shipments a day for companies such as Alcoa, Allegheny Technologies, Bull Moose Tube Company, Earle M. Jorgensen Company, Greif and Pechiney and maintains connections to over 2,500 carriers. For more information, visit www.besttransport.com.