SourcingDirect.com Creates an Alliance with Format International Ltd.

Business Editors

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2000

Today, SourcingDirect.com, the industry's largest independent agribusiness cash commodity procurement-based e-hub exchange for animal feed additives and food/petfood ingredients, announced that it has signed a joint marketing and system integration alliance with Format International Ltd., of the United Kingdom, a world leader in the provision of formulation and optimization software tools to the animal feed, petfood and premix blending industries.

SourcingDirect.com provides agribusinesses with a state-of-the-art online agribusiness cash commodity e-hub where they can buy or sell additives and ingredients 24/7 on a worldwide exchange. Format International provides many of the same customers with a sophisticated, leading-edge least-cost feed formulation software system used for feed formulation planning and cost management. The integration of these two systems will allow existing and future customers the opportunity to streamline these two important processes and create a seamless information management database.

"Our research showed that Format International has the industry's best application-based product for least-cost formulation and a proven track record for innovation and reliability," said Mark Anderson, SourcingDirect.com's Chief Technical Officer.

For more than 25 years, Format's reputation of being first with the most significant advances and innovations evidences the company's dedication to providing first-class customer service and program development to give its clients a vital, extra competitive edge.

"This alliance will allow SourcingDirect.com to launch its international marketing program by offering Format International's existing and future customers a state-of-the-art independent e-hub exchange. At the same time, we look forward to introducing their integrated system to our growing base of North American customers," said Donald C. Lies, SourcingDirect.com's CEO.

Format supports and services more than 1400 implementations in over 60 countries across the globe. The implementations range in size from simple least-cost formulation systems to large multi-user, multi-site resource optimization and distribution modeling systems. "We are delighted to be forming this alliance with SourcingDirect.com," said Merryl Webster, Format's CEO. "Our focus is for Format to continually bring added value to our customers through product innovation. The potential for e-commerce is almost limitless and SourcingDirect.com is the very best in their field. Together we can provide our customers with the opportunity to gain maximum economic benefit from the market information and intelligence available through their advanced e-hub procurement and communications exchange software system."

The companies are planning to launch their first integrated solution at the Petfood Forum Europe 2000 in October 2000 in Amsterdam.

SourcingDirect.com is the leading independent online agribusiness e-hub exchange for producers, processors, mills and manufacturers of animal feed additives and food/petfood ingredients. Since the sites introduction in May 2000, SourcingDirect.com has continued to enroll new members in the poultry, beef, pork, grain and petfood marketplaces. The company's headquarters are located at 11800 Singletree Lane, Suite 300, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344. For further information, please contact Donald C. Lies at 952.983.4100 or [e-mail].