Global Distributor, Avnet Inc., Invests in Online Engineering Resource Company, QuestLink.

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 3, 1999--

Avnet Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a leading global value-added distributor of electronic components and computer products, has made a strategic investment in QuestLink Technology Inc., the world's largest technical information resource for electronics engineering.

QuestLink's Web site (http://www.QuestLink.com) is the only online resource offering electronic commerce, World Wide Web and news group search, and specifically targeted index features in one centralized location.

It will provide the many engineering customers of Avnet Design Services with a valuable information resource and further develops Avnet's capability to pioneer e-commerce initiatives on a global basis.

The QuestLink investment comes shortly after Avnet joined Arrow Electronics, Aspect Development, and CMP Media in April to form ChipCenter, a joint venture offering the world's most comprehensive business-to-business e-commerce site for electronic engineers and purchasers.

"Today's engineers are looking to the Web for ways to shorten design cycles and decrease time-to-market," said Steve Church, president of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas, who will also serve as a director on QuestLink's board of directors.

"By addressing the needs of engineers during all phases of the design cycle, QuestLink's comprehensive e-commerce capabilities and value-added services offer engineers the means to meet increasingly narrow market windows."

"Avnet's investment in QuestLink is consistent with our strategy of utilizing electronic business as a means of providing valuable real-time information to engineers, as well as making on-line purchasing simple and efficient for the purchasing community," Church added.

"With indexes to hundreds of thousands of data sheets, reference designs and components, QuestLink.com provides valuable information to assist the engineer in every aspect of the design process, from research to verification to packaging and distribution," said Michael Shultz, QuestLink's president and chief executive officer.

"Avnet's investment will help us ramp up our marketing and advertising efforts to increase awareness among electronics design engineers about the scope of QuestLink.com's features and services."

About Avnet Inc.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Avnet Inc. is a Fortune 500 company with annual sales exceeding $6.3 billion. With sales offices in 59 countries, Avnet markets, inventories and adds value to the products of the most prestigious electronic components and computer equipment manufacturers for customers worldwide. For more information, visit Avnet's Web site at www.avnet.com.

About QuestLink Technology Inc.

QuestLink Technology was founded in July 1995 and has become the world's leading independent online provider of timely and comprehensive technical reference information for the electronic design engineering community.

The company's Web site, QuestLink.com, is a robust, central source for locating product information, comparing specifications and making purchasing decisions for upcoming or in-progress design projects. Designed by engineers, QuestLink.com offers technical reference information, design tools and software and product samples in a fully searchable, easy-to-use format, free of charge.

The company is privately held and has offices in Austin, Texas, and San Jose, Calif. For more information, visit QuestLink's Web site at www.QuestLink.com.