MicroAge Quality Integration Services Partners
with Factura Kiosks

Leading Provider of Integration Services Joins Hands with the Leader in Kiosk Design and Development to Provide a One-Stop Shop to End-Users

Tempe, Ariz., (Nov. 8, 1999) - MicroAge Quality Integration Services today announced a partnership with the Factura Kiosks division of MicroTouch Systems, Inc. that will facilitate a complete life cycle for turnkey solutions to the burgeoning kiosk market.

Under the new partnership Factura will provide office space in its Rochester, NY facility for MicroAge Quality Integration Services integration personnel. This allotted space will provide MicroAge with the capability to bring its integration expertise directly to where the kiosk manufacturing is being done. MicroAge in turn will provide space for a Factura Kiosk demo area in its Tempe, Ariz. facility. The new arrangement will help customers get a close-up look and answers to kiosk questions faster and easier from coast to coast.

"The new partnership will allow both parties to provide a better total integration result to our clients. Clients will benefit from the documentation and procedures, including ISO 9001, that MicroAge has developed, along with the skilled manufacturing and assembly techniques developed by Factura. We are committed to being the integrator of choice for the 21^st century and the relationship with Factura will provide mutual benefits to our clients in the kiosk segment," said Bill Nanney, group vice president for MicroAge Quality Integration Services.

"For Factura, the partnership is an extension of our business development program; working with a variety of companies enabling us to provide the solutions our customers are asking for," said Greg Swistak, Factura Kiosks president. "As one of the world's leading systems integrators we are confident that MicroAge will present us with several new kiosk opportunities. We are seeing exceptional growth in the retail market, specifically because the kiosk solution offers retailers the benefit of reducing their inventory. Our partnership with MicroAge allows us to offer our customers a wide range of kiosk elements, either on an `a la carte basis or a complete solution."

The Companies

For more than six years, MicroAge Quality Integration Services has been building and custom configuring computers and kiosks with the most advanced integration capabilities, ISO-9001 Quality processes, and technical expertise. MicroAge Quality Integration Services has reached a 1.5 million built or configured units in this period of time. MicroAge Quality Integration Services offers quality integration capabilities in any one of its configuration centers across the United States. In addition it also provides a single point of accountability through its Technical Project Management area with other services including System Process Engineering, Logistics, Contract Manufacturing and Express Repair Solutions.

Factura is the largest manufacturer of kiosk enclosures in the U.S., having produced an estimated 35% of the installed base. Factura specializes in custom kiosks from concept-to-completion, while offering creative design, mechanical engineering, prototyping, volume production, component assembly, testing and management of delivery logistics on an `a la carte basis.

The Market

This alliance comes at a time of projected market growth with the embracing of interactive kiosks as a strategically important method for selling products and providing information and services. According to Nanney, "Many companies do not have the organizational support and infrastructure to manage a kiosk program." MicroAge is an expert at systems integration to multiple markets worldwide, and has taken steps to solve this problem for clients by providing their technology services to the kiosk market as well. "We chose to strategically align with Factura because of their kiosk expertise and industry leading experience. This will make us a stronger entity than either of us are individually today, and will increase our combined capabilities to deliver kiosk results with a higher quality, in less time and at a lower overall cost -- this adds up to improved customer satisfaction. The industry recognized capabilities of Factura, coupled with MicroAge Quality Integration Services dynamic configuration and integration capabilities, supported by MicroAge's geographic presence will create a combination unequaled in the industry." Nanney stated.

Historically, the kiosk market has been horizontal in nature. The inherent benefit of this market structure is that horizontal procurement of components and services is a more cost-effective solution for clients. This strategic alliance between two industry leaders makes it easy and cost-effective to procure cohesive, fully integrated solutions, without sacrificing product quality or program integrity. This commitment by MicroAge and Factura is a milestone for the kiosk market, which up to now has not offered this type of value-add strategy to the client.

About MicroAge Quality Integration Services

MicroAge Quality Integration Services has over 250 thousand square feet of facilities. MicroAge Quality Integration Services is committed to providing integrated solutions that fulfill client expectations relative to price, quality and delivery. More information can be found at www.microage.com.

About Factura Kiosks

Factura, founded in 1986, is headquartered in Rochester, NY. Factura is the leading U.S. supplier of kiosk enclosures, specializing in creative design, engineering, manufacturing and final assembly of custom and ready-to-ship kiosk enclosures for a variety of vertical markets.

Factura has delivered more than 45,000 kiosks for Fortune 500 companies, systems integrators, and entrepreneurs worldwide, including Eastman Kodak, Agfa, Fuji, Wal-Mart, Target Stores, Toys R Us, EDS, IBM, Andersen Consulting and AT&T. In February 1995, MicroTouch acquired Factura. The company's Web site is www.factura.com.

About MicroTouch

MicroTouch Systems, Inc., Methuen, Mass., is the leading worldwide vendor of touch-input solutions for virtually every application. Founded in 1982, MicroTouch reported sales of $144.4 million in 1998. The company's Web site is www.microtouch.com.

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