Briggs & Stratton Launches Web Catalog.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2001

ARI's EMPARTweb(TM) Now Available Worldwide

to Briggs Dealers and Distributors

ARI Network Services, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS:ARIS), a leading provider of Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and business-to-business (B2B) Internet e-Commerce solutions that connect equipment manufacturers with their service and distribution networks, announced the successful launch of its EMPARTweb(TM) electronic parts catalog on BriggsNetwork.com, a secured extranet site.

Briggs & Stratton decided late last year to add ARI's EMPARTweb to the suite of ARI products already widely used by Briggs dealers and distributors worldwide. Approximately 5000 dealers and distributors in more than 40 countries use ARI's PartSmart(TM) with Briggs data. And, approximately 3500 dealers have used the ARI-developed e-claim web warranty claim submission system since its rollout in April 2000. As part of a phased implementation, EMPARTweb was incorporated into BriggsNework.com and is now available to Briggs dealers and distributors worldwide. During the second phase, Briggs & Stratton will begin using ARI's EMPARTpublisher(TM) to produce their catalog data for publishing on the web as well as streamlining the production of their data for distribution via PartSmart to the higher-volume dealers.

"We are pleased with the addition of a web-based version of our parts catalog to supplement our earlier PartSmart CD offering. We expect that providing a web-based catalog will allow us to reach a much higher percentage of our 35,000 dealers and distributors with more timely parts data," said Erik Aspelin, vice president of e-Commerce for Briggs & Stratton. "Our success was due, in part, to the fact that we were able to eliminate a step in the data conversion process. Since ARI had already converted our data for distribution via PartSmart, we were able to use that data as our starting point. Our Extranet Project Team was able to work quickly and efficiently with ARI to convert the data from PartSmart to the EMPART format and upload to our website. During the second phase, we will begin taking advantage of the efficiencies and cost-savings that come from using ARI's EMPARTpublisher software to produce our data that can then be used for both PartSmart and EMPARTweb."

"Briggs & Stratton's addition of the EMPART to BriggsNetwork.com is further demonstration of their commitment to provide cutting edge business solutions to its dealers and distributors," said Brian E. Dearing, chairman and chief executive officer of ARI. "With EMPARTweb, Briggs will now have the ability to provide their smaller dealers with a low-cost, convenient way of accessing the same, valuable information that has been available to their larger dealers and distributors who are using PartSmart. ARI's years of experience in electronic parts management, coupled with our successful implementation of Web-based catalogs in the motorcycle and marine industries, uniquely qualifies us to meet Briggs & Stratton's current and future requirements." Dearing pointed out that the company's strategy is to provide a single, integrated family of electronic catalog products that allows manufacturers to publish their data once and then use the resulting data for both Web and CD catalogs.

Briggs & Stratton produces air-cooled gasoline engines from 3.5 to 25 horsepower used in such equipment as garden tillers and tractors, lawn edgers, riding and walk behind mowers shredders and snow throwers. Briggs & Stratton has 35,000 dealers and 90 distributors worldwide. The firm had 1999 sales of $1.5 billion.

ARI Network Services, Inc., is a leading provider of business-to-business (B2B) Internet e-Commerce solutions for sales, service and life-cycle product support in the manufactured equipment market. ARI currently serves 12 segments of the worldwide manufactured equipment market including outdoor power, recreation vehicle, floor maintenance, marine and construction. The Company builds and supports a full suite of multi-media electronic catalog software and services including publishing and viewing software for electronic parts catalogs that are distributed via the Web or CD-ROM and a full suite of consulting, customization and data conversion services. ARI also provides communications systems which provide a global electronic pathway for sales reports, product orders, warranty registrations and other transactions between manufacturers and their networks of sales and service points. ARI currently operates three offices in the United States and has sales and service agents in Australia, England, and France providing marketing and support of its dealer communications and electronic catalog products.