For further information, please contact:

Kevin Blossom
Director of Channel Marketing
Pursell Industries
205.968.6038

Brian Beattie
SVP Marketing
CHEP International
407.563.2060

Ronald Margulis
Managing Director
RAM Communications
908.232.3230

Pursell Industries Is First Lawn and Garden Fertilizer
Manufacturer to Launch on CHEP
Move made to reduce supply chain costs, boost customer service

Birmingham, Ala., January 22, 2001 -- Pursell Industries, one of the nation's largest sellers of lawn and garden fertilizers, announced it will use the CHEP pallet pooling system to ship Vigoro fertilizers from the company's facilities. The move is expected to result in a more productive flow of goods through the company's distribution channels and increased efficiencies for its trading partners. Pursell Industries, marketers of Vigoro brand fertilizers, is now shipping product on Chep pallets to its customers from their Alabama, Florida, Ohio and California facilities.

"We view the CHEP system as a critical tool being used to reduce supply chain costs. It offers a stable platform for the handling, storage and distribution of our products. We look for this partnership with CHEP to be a benefit to our customers." stated E.J. Morrow, Vice President of Marketing, Pursell Industries.

CHEP executives are pleased to make such strong headway into the rapidly growing home improvement, garden center and hardware industry.

"The move by a major supplier like Pursell Industries to the CHEP program confirms the importance of improving distribution efficiencies in this vibrant sector. We look forward to working with many other marketers in the garden center and home improvement industry to show the benefits of our system," Cliff Otto, Chep Senior Vice President of Sales, said.

Founded in 1904 Pursell Industries supplies consumer fertilizer products to the major lawn and garden retailers throughout the country. Its products are sold under the brand names of Vigoro, Sta-Green, Bandini, Best, and All-American. It also produces private label products under the ACE and Kgro brands.

CHEP is an international pallet and container pooling company servicing manufacturers and distributors in the consumer goods industries; grower/shippers and receivers in the produce industry; packers, processors and distributors in the meat industry; home improvement, hardware & housewares manufacturers and distributors and suppliers and assembly plants in the automotive industry. CHEP supplies its customers with high quality pallets and reusable containers from a comprehensive depot and premium service center network. The company is part of the worldwide CHEP organization, which operates in more than 36 countries on six continents and controls more than 134 million pallets and 20 million containers. CHEP operating principles, service organization and computer tracking systems give participants a simple solution and improved efficiency in product delivery. Additional information on CHEP is available at www.chep.com.