July 28, 1997

QUESTION AND ANSWER BACKGROUNDER ON INGRAM MICRO'S NEW
Frameworks, Total Integration Services

What is the overall purpose of Frameworks?
The overall purpose of Frameworks is to provide resellers and manufacturers with a complete array of channel assembly, integration and configuration services they can employ to satisfy their customers' demands. Through Frameworks, Ingram Micro can integrate name-brand computer systems with the specific components and software that resellers' customers want; assemble Intel-powered unbranded systems; and supply quality components from leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), such as Acer Components, at low cost to resellers who build their own systems.

Why does the market need Frameworks?
End users want quickly delivered systems tailored to their individual needs with the service and support they get from technology resellers. Manufacturers want less unsold finished product in the channel to reduce their inventory costs and enable them to introduce new products sooner. Ingram Micro's Frameworks satisfies all of those needs.

What does Frameworks do that manufacturers can't do for themselves?
Through Frameworks, Ingram Micro can assemble and configure systems on behalf of the reseller closer to the end user. Backed by Ingram Micro's worldwide technical and logistical infrastructure, Frameworks services draw from a reservoir of 36,000 different products to provide a manufacturer's customers with name-brand systems integrated with the components and software they require. Many of those are third-party components that would be expensive for manufacturers to stock themselves, but dovetail perfectly with Ingram Micro's distribution business. Ingram Micro can also ship products directly to the end user on behalf of the reseller -- so the reseller never has to touch the order.

Is this the same as the Dell model of direct-to-user computer sales?
No. Direct-to-user companies follow a single-tier distribution model. Ingram Micro feels the two-tier distribution model is more beneficial to the end user because it recognizes the value of resellers. End users need guidance, advice and responsive service just as much as they need the right equipment dropped on their doorsteps. That's what Ingram Micro resellers provide. They already have relationships with end users. Resellers know their end users' business needs and what technology they already have. Frameworks will support and deepen the reseller/end-user relationship by giving resellers access to the customized products and fast delivery their customers want.

Is Frameworks just a new name for services that Ingram Micro has offered all along?
Frameworks is a distinct operation within Ingram Micro. The company wants its channel assembly and configuration services to stand out as a coherent whole for its reseller customers, so it created a brand-name program around existing and soon-to-be-expanded operations. Frameworks employs Ingram Micro's existing assembly and configuration facilities and industry-leading MIS/logistical infrastructure. Ingram Micro will significantly expand its facilities and hire additional qualified technicians to support Frameworks. Frameworks services are provided in several ISO 9002-certified configuration centers worldwide, including Santa Ana, Calif.; Chicago; Denver; Memphis, Tenn.; Copenhagen, Denmark; Munich, Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Milton Keynes, United Kingdom; and Utrecht, The Netherlands. A configuration center in Toronto, Canada is also part of the Frameworks network.

How is Ingram Micro qualified to offer channel assembly and custom configuration services?
Channel assembly and custom configuration are all about having the right components in the right place at the right time so resellers can get them to customers fast. Ingram Micro is the recognized leader in moving technology products around the world on short notice. The annual readers' poll in the industry journal Computer Reseller News has rated Ingram Micro the top computer distributor for five years in a row, largely on the strength of its efficiency, speed and reliability.

What's more, Ingram Micro has invested greatly in the resources needed to provide efficient assembly and configuration services. Among its investments are worldwide ISO 9002-certified facilities and well-trained technicians.

How do customers know that systems assembled by Frameworks are equal in quality to those assembled by the brand-name manufacturers they already know and trust?
Ingram Micro's configuration centers comply with ISO 9002 international quality-control standards. All components and configurations are tested by Ingram Laboratories to ensure they exceed customer expectations. Frameworks technicians are certified in the most advanced platforms and operating systems, such as Apple, CompTIA A+, Hewlett-Packard workstations, IBM, Microsoft, Novell, and Sun Microsystems servers and workstations. Ingram Micro is the first distributor to meet IBM's stringent integration standards for its Authorized Assembler Program (AAP).

Contact:

Cindy Vergets Ragland
Ingram Micro, Inc.
Media Relations
714-566-1000 ext. 23364