Black Box Corporation Announces Merger With Todd Communications, Inc.

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1999--Black Box Corporation (Nasdaq:BBOX) today announced that it merged Todd Communications, Inc. into a wholly-owned subsidiary. Established in 1990 and based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, privately-held Todd Communications specializes in technical design, installation and maintenance of premise cabling systems to customers throughout North Carolina. Todd Communications has annual revenues of approximately $2 million.

This will be the twelfth merger of this type since January 1998 as Black Box continues to expand its worldwide technical support service offerings.

Commenting on the merger, Fred C. Young, Chief Executive Officer of Black Box Corporation, stated, "We are very excited about Todd Communications joining the rapidly growing Black Box on-site technical service companies. They have a demonstrated track record of highest quality service, customer loyalty and financial success. Under Ted and Wayne Todd's leadership, we will now have an excellent business base to further our growth in North Carolina."

Theodore W. Todd and W. Wayne Todd, owners of Todd Communications, said, "We believe the Black Box strategy of expanding into the local market is a good one and are pleased to have been chosen to become a part of their team. As a Black Box company, we will have access to business and technical support not available to us before. We see this as being a direct benefit to our present and future customers. We are also pleased that our employees will have the opportunity for a secure future as part of a well known and respected worldwide organization within the telecommunications industry."

Ted Todd will continue to serve as President of Todd Communications and Wayne Todd will continue to serve as Vice President.

This transaction is being accounted for as a pooling of interests. The purchase price has not been disclosed.

Black Box is a leading worldwide technical service provider of computer communications and networking services and related products to businesses of all sizes, operating in 77 countries throughout the world.