American Reprographics Co. Announces Limited Licensing of PlanWell to Independent Reprographers.

Business Editors

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 2002

Reprographics Industry's Leading Construction Documentation System Licensed to Help Establish Reprographers' Role As Document Managers of

Choice for Design and Construction Professionals

The American Reprographics Co., the world's leading reprographic services provider with more than 150 locations across North America, today announced that selective licensing of PlanWell(R) to independent reprographers will begin in October.

A suite of reprographic and document management services collectively referred to as a "construction documentation system," PlanWell has been made available to four independent reprographic companies in the United States and one in Australia in preparation for licensing the product in markets around the world.

Mike Bartow, president of Hudson Reprographics and one of the first licensees, said: "PlanWell is a feature-rich, client-driven, Web-based solution. It will save our construction customers money, while at the same time providing a needed revenue stream for the reprographer. It's a win-win solution for both industries."

Until recently, PlanWell has been available from ARC reprographers only, but has quickly become the industry's premier construction documentation system. Company executives say that while capturing a return on their development and infrastructure investment is clearly an important factor, deciding to license PlanWell is part of a greater effort to expand its availability and establish an industry standard in construction documentation systems.

K. "Suri" Suriyakumar, president and COO of the American Reprographics Co., asserted that too many software and Web-based companies have attempted to enter the market with little practical knowledge of the problems construction professionals face in managing their information. "The reprographer's expertise in this area is frequently undervalued," he said. "Manage one project with PlanWell, however, and the true benefits of reprographic services become clear. We can -- and should -- transform ourselves into an industry that can add as much value to a construction project as any other technology consultant or supplier."

American Reprographics Co. intends to license PlanWell on a selective basis, ensuring that companies chosen to receive the system are capable of supporting its technology and its quality of service in the marketplace.

About PlanWell

PlanWell provides a safe and secure Web-based service to store, organize, print, track and distribute construction documents such as building plans and specifications. PlanWell also allows other project team members to view and order project documents any time, from anywhere in the world. For more information about licensing PlanWell, contact Niro Perera, manager of licensee services at [e-mail], or visit www.planwell.com.

About American Reprographics Co.

Founded in 1988, the American Reprographics Co. is a $473 million enterprise serving more than 110,000 customer companies across North America. The company's 50 divisions, with more than 3,600 employees, are the leading suppliers of reprographic services and technology to the construction industry, manufacturers, software and hardware development companies, corporate offices, marketing and advertising agencies, publishing firms, retail establishments and presentation graphics providers. Corporate headquarters are in Glendale, near Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.e-arc.com.