Partner Press Release
TTI One of First RosettaNet Non-Board Members To Use Initiative

For Release October 10, 2000

FT. WORTH

TTI, Inc. the nation's leading passive/connector distribution specialist has become one of the first non-RosettaNet board members to put the RosettaNet initiative into practice by teaming up with Bourns, Inc., and KEMET Electronics. The RosettaNet initiative was begun in 1998, to develop standards for Internet based e-commerce business to business transactions.

TTI has moved from supporting the development of RosettaNet Internet based e-commerce standards to implementing them with strategic trading partners. The standards enabled TTI to speed up information systems development time while at the same time allowing TTI to develop a methodology that permits multiple partners to participate without requiring TTI to go through the development cycle with every partner. The use of Extricity "B2B™ software for RosettaNet" helped to expedite the development process. Paul Andrews, TTI CEO and President, said, "It is dramatically more efficient and effective to support industry standardization than to develop such relationships one on one. Not only is it cost effective, but it also saves considerable time in developing web enabled e-commerce relationships. By developing a common language with all the accompanying rules of grammar, RosettaNet now enables a dialogue between multiple partners at multiple levels. This initiative is huge, offering tremendous benefits to those who adopt the standards. These standards will enable further automation of such transactions as purchase order placement, changing orders, expediting and many others that will move our industry forward via efficient electronic transactions."

RosettaNet allows real time processing, which provides current information and valuable data exchanges to users for crucial business decisions rather than making them wait for batch cycles or making decisions with outdated information. This facilitates a more dynamic trading partner relationship throughout the supply chain. With reduced supply chain pipeline inventories required to maintain efficiencies, having instant current, accurate information is a necessity for effective inventory management to smooth process flows and minimize downtimes. Andrews added, "As cycle times have collapsed to reduce time to market, asset management has become critical to keep costs in line. RosettaNet will now enable us to control product flows more efficiently from supplier to distributor to end customer, resulting in a much more efficient system. This further supports the customer's requirement and our efforts to more closely manage the procurement process without it becoming excessively labor intensive."

While taking the lead as one of the first non-board members to execute a standard, TTI believes that the electronics industry will quickly follow, making the industry much more customer friendly. From TTI's initial information system design in the 1970s to its quality enhancement practices, leading edge supply chain management programs and now as a leading distributor in supporting RosettaNet standards from both customers and suppliers, TTI continues to maintain a leadership role in the use of technology to enhance service to its customers. Andrews noted, "We are excited to put RosettaNet into action with Bourns and KEMET, and look forward to adding other major suppliers and customers soon. This process is the next step in Internet technology development to enable it to be the dynamic force that it can be in our economy."

KEMET Electronics is the world's largest manufacturer of solid tantalum capacitors and is the second largest manufacturer of multilayer ceramic capacitors in the United States. KEMET offers leaded and surface-mount products in both dielectric families. For more information visit KEMET on the Internet at www.kemet.com.

Bourns, Inc., located in Riverside, CA, is the leading manufacturer of Trimming Potentiometers, Precision Potentiometers, Panel Controls, Encoders, Modular Contacts, Switches, and Resistor/Capacitor Networks. Bourns also sells Chip Resistors, Chip Arrays and Inductive Components. Bourns' products are manufactured according to ISO 9000 and QS-9000 standards under Six Sigma quality programs. For more information, contact Bourns' at website www.bourns.com or contact Melissa Dido 909.781.5102.

TTI, Inc. is a privately held passive/connector specialist headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Sales for 1999 were over $550 million. For more information visit the website at www.ttiinc.com or contact Cathy Walensky at 817.740.9000 or email at cwalensky@ttiinc.com.