Caraustar Selects Verticalnet for Spend Analysis; Leading Recycled Packaging Company Licenses Verticalnet Solution to Gain Visibility across 45,000 Suppliers.

MALVERN, Pa. -- Verticalnet, Inc. (Nasdaq:VERT), a leading provider of supply management solutions, today announced that Caraustar Industries, Inc., one of the largest and most cost-effective manufacturers and converters of recycled boxboard and recycled packaging products in the United States, had selected the Verticalnet(R) Spend Analysis solution to maximize enterprise-wide visibility into their $700 million of spending.

Caraustar's decision criteria included spend analysis and strategic sourcing expertise and the ability to provide a solution that interfaces with their existing IT infrastructure. After a successful pilot study, Caraustar chose to implement the Verticalnet Spend Analysis Solution to optimize sourcing opportunities across its five enterprise systems, 107 facilities and approximately 45,000 suppliers. Utilizing the Verticalnet solution should enable Caraustar to better prioritize its supply management initiatives and conduct enterprise-wide strategic sourcing.

"We are pleased to add Caraustar to our growing list of spend analysis customers," said John McNeill, Verticalnet's Senior Vice President of Sales. "Verticalnet offers many companies, like Caraustar, the combination of software, services, and deep domain expertise to maximize the value of their sourcing efforts."

About Verticalnet

Verticalnet is a leading provider of supply management solutions that enable companies to identify and realize sustained value across the supply management lifecycle. Going beyond traditional spend management and sourcing approaches, Verticalnet's solutions provide the visibility, insight and process control required to maximize the sustained value realization from supply management. Large enough to help customers attain supply management success worldwide, yet nimble enough to provide individual attention and remain focused on customer priorities, Verticalnet has helped numerous Global 2000 companies take their supply management efforts to the next level through an optimal blend of software, comprehensive services, and deep category knowledge and domain expertise. To learn more, please visit us at www.verticalnet.com.

Verticalnet is a registered trademark or a trademark in the United States and other countries of Vert Tech LLC.