Briggs & Stratton Selects ARI Web Catalog Software.

Business Editors

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 5, 2000

New Web-based Electronic Catalog Expands e-Commerce Commitment

ARI Network Services, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: ARIS), a leading provider Internet e-Commerce solutions for equipment manufacturers announced that Briggs & Stratton Corporation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has selected the ARIwebcat(TM) electronic parts catalog to provide its Web catalog for dealers, distributors and other business partners.

Briggs & Stratton will add the Web catalog to its suite of e-Commerce solutions already provided by ARI, including PartSmart(TM), TradeRoute(R), and TradeRouteweb(TM). The addition will allow Briggs & Stratton to take advantage of the greater efficiencies possible using the Internet for the distribution of repair and parts information worldwide.

"We have already successfully deployed three of ARI's e-Commerce solutions to our dealers and distributors. When we decided to add a Web catalog, we naturally looked to ARI," said Erik Aspelin, vice president of e-Commerce at Briggs & Stratton. "We believe that the web catalog will greatly expand the availability of correct repair and parts information in the international arena where traditional distribution methods are too slow. Additionally, the web catalog will offer our dealers and repair centers a lower-cost and convenient alternative to our CD system. ARIwebcat will play a key role in our growing, worldwide private network, www.BriggsNetwork.com for 2-way information flow, warranty claims and order entry."

"Briggs & Stratton continues to demonstrate its leading-edge e-Commerce philosophy by providing its dealers and distributors with cutting edge business solutions," said Brian E. Dearing, chairman and chief executive officer of ARI. "The addition of ARIwebcat will allow dealers with lower volumes to take advantage of the same efficiencies that have been available to large volume Briggs dealers and distributors. 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, CD or DVD, 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, France, Germany and Italy providing marketing and support of its dealer communications and electronic catalog products.