Procurement, Supply Chain Visibility, and Business Expansion/Regional Development To be Covered in Upcoming BusinessWeek Special Advertising Sections.

Business Editors/Publishing Writers

BLUE ISLAND, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2001

Lothair Inc., today announced the subjects of three upcoming 2001 Special Advertising Sections in BusinessWeek Magazine. The September 3rd issue will focus on business-to-business procurement; the October 8 issue will cover collaborative successes and supply chain visibility; and the December 3rd issue will detail the best practices in area/industrial development.

Lothair, in conjunction with consulting firm Norbridge Inc., has previously compiled and produced BusinessWeek Special Advertising Sections (SAS). The most recent, "Supply Chain Collaboration: Close Encounters of the Best Kind," appeared in the magazine's March 26, 2001 issue.

The September 3rd SAS on procurement will be researched and written by noted Norbridge consultant Mark Fagan and will explore consortiums; continual cost elimination (CCE); e-procurement and portals; global sourcing; and cost composition. "Procurement is an issue that cuts across all industries and sectors," said Fagan, "and with today's tools and technology, the opportunities to cut costs and streamline are tremendous."

Supply chain visibility, a red-hot logistics topic, will be explored in an October 8th SAS. A portion of the section will focus on a senior executive roundtable that will be held in mid-July, which will bring together the leaders of collaborative supply chain practices. Dean Wise, a senior partner at Norbridge, will moderate the panel. (A few roundtable positions are still open as of this release. Contact Lothair for participation information.)

In December, a BusinessWeek SAS will cover corporate expansion and regional and municipal planning along with the impact of these practices on global distribution. Industry expert Bill Fahrenwald observed, "Now more than ever, companies are using the metrics of supply chain management and inbound/outbound e-business to guide their strategic expansion plans. Consequently states, regions, and municipalities have re-focused their growth and infrastructure planning patterns to satisfy evolving logistics requirements."

For advertising information and rates in these three Special Advertising Sections, please contact Teri Cahill at 708-597-6800 ext. 22, via e-mail at [e-mail]. Visit our website at www.lothair.com and click on "BusinessWeek Special Advertising Opportunities." Or, contact your local BusinessWeek representative.

Lothair is a full-service marketing communications, advertising, and media relations firm. Its executives have extensive experience in business-to-business marketing in various industries including transportation, logistics, and supply chain management; steel; financial services; pharmaceutical and healthcare; packaging products and equipment; and business services. For further information please contact Bill Fahrenwald at 708-597-6800 ext. 17.