Anixter Levels Lab Receives UL Recertification.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

SKOKIE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2001

The Anixter Levels Lab(R) has successfully completed a second rigorous, independent, third party engineering and management system audit under UL's (Underwriters Laboratories (R)) Certificate Services. The Anixter Levels Lab is the only facility of its kind recognized by UL(R) to receive this certification.

The audit, performed as an adjunct service under UL's Performance Verification Program, provides certification to research facilities that demonstrate advanced engineering, sound scientific practices and superior product testing capabilities.

Andrew Jimenez, Anixter's Laboratory Director said, "We created a dozen new procedures since last year's audit. These are twenty-page formal documents that allow each technician we add to the staff to precisely duplicate the work of any other. We also have full-time staff continuously developing unique lab testing software. While these continuous process improvements increase the precision of our tests, they also increase the rigor of requirements needed to meet UL(R) certification."

According to Steve Galan, UL's Wire and Cable Manager, the purpose of the Certificate Services' audit is to ensure end-users that companies such as Anixter are committed to the quality of the products and services that they provide.

"UL's audit determines whether or not a company has a documented laboratory-quality program, as well as the equipment, personnel and procedures necessary to conduct rigorous laboratory testing on an ongoing basis," said Galan. "Once again, we found Anixter's Levels Program is based on sound engineering principles and does exactly what it claims to do."

Demonstrations of nearly 100 categories of performance were randomly examined and evaluated by a committee of auditors for more than seven hours. This was followed by interviews, a review of staff background profiles, equipment calibration checks and demonstrations of actual test processes. Follow-up audits are used to verify continued compliance and traceability, both in documentation and procedure. For the second time, UL certified Anixter's Levels Lab as the one and only laboratory of its kind.

Pete Lockhart, Anixter's Vice President of Technology, says that UL's prestigious certification underscores the significant contributions the Anixter Levels Lab makes to the entire telecommunications industry.

The Anixter Levels Lab, located in Mt. Prospect, IL, analyzes manufacturing quality and performance levels of network cabling and components, such as patch cords, NIC cards and switches. Anixter's Levels Lab contains miles of copper and fiber optic cable, hundreds of different connectors, patch panel ports and patch cords. The equipment allows Anixter to simulate many data cabling systems. Through this recreation and simulation of key network parameters, the Levels Lab can analyze performance expectations and problems.

UL is the world's leading product safety and certification organization with more than 16 billion UL markings applied to more than 17,000 types of products each year. UL is also the leading independent auditor of laboratory and laboratory processes and procedures. Moreover, in the telecommunications industry, UL certifies the vast majority of products to the industry's standards.

Anixter (NYSE:AXE) is the world's leading distributor of data communications products and electrical wire and cable. Founded in 1957, the company now employs more than 5,000 people in 180 cities worldwide. The company adds value to the distribution process by providing its customers access to: the largest technical sales force in the industry; more than 87,000 products and $700 million in inventory; and 106 warehouses with more than 5 million square feet of space.

For more information visit the Anixter Web-site at anixter.com