United Stationers and SAP America Create New Business Management Solution for Resellers

    DES PLAINES, Ill., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Stationers Inc.
 (Nasdaq:   USTR), North America's largest broad line wholesale distributor of
 business products and SAP America, Inc., a subsidiary of SAP AG (NYSE:   SAP),
 the world's leading provider of business software solutions, announced they
 have jointly created the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers.
 The objective of this solution, presented jointly by the two companies at
 United Stationers' recent Vision 2006 Conference in Las Vegas, is to empower
 customers of United -- independent business products resellers -- to compete
 more effectively in an environment in which technology has dramatically
 changed consumer buying habits.
     "Independent business products resellers account for approximately 80% of
 United Stationers' annual revenues," explained Richard W. Gochnauer, United's
 president and chief executive officer. "Providing this solution is the latest
 step in a long series of value-added services United has created to help these
 resellers increase their market share and profitability.  Our research
 indicated that one of the biggest challenges facing this sector was that many
 larger competitors were using more technologically advanced systems to enhance
 the consumer's buying experience. In partnership with SAP America, and with
 the assistance of an advisory council of independent dealers, we worked with
 SAP America to develop the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers
 to make these businesses more competitive."
     Mark Hampton, United Stationers senior vice president of marketing
 explained, "Aggressive and effective use of emerging technologies equates to
 power for resellers -- regardless of their size, scope or orientation. Over
 the last several years, United's research revealed end consumers increasingly
 turn to the Internet for researching and purchasing all categories of business
 products. We believe the solution developed with SAP will allow independent
 resellers to leverage both their close selling relationships with end
 customers and integrated technology, giving them a long-term competitive
 advantage in the market."
 
     State-of-the-Art Approach
     The SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers will be sold,
 implemented, managed and serviced by SAP, with the support of selected SAP
 business partners. The program is designed to simplify the evaluation,
 adoption, management and evolution of business management solutions for
 independent business products resellers. It will offer a breadth and depth of
 office products industry process automation and optimization in a complete
 turnkey, end-to-end solution. In addition, this technology solution is
 "supplier neutral," enabling resellers to continue to buy as they always have,
 using a system that will accept content from United Stationers, and other
 wholesalers currently serving the supply chain.
 
     The system provides a number of benefits:
 
     -- A software solution for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) including
        finance, order management and logistics.
     -- A comprehensive content management solution developed by United and
        delivered to business products resellers by SAP, specifically designed
        to manage office products content, including all content objects and
        types, with delivery through multiple channels.
     -- A fully customizable e-commerce solution, to make the independent
        reseller's customers Web site shopping and buying experience fast, easy
        and friendly, with a depth of product offering in all categories.
 
 
     "In developing this solution, we and United worked with specific business
 products resellers in developing a targeted menu of software and services,
 including implementation, technical administration, training, support, and
 data center services, all hosted by SAP, at an affordable cost," said Gary
 Fromer, senior vice president, Managed Services, SAP America, Inc. "The new
 solution will empower independent resellers with greater financial control,
 improved order management and logistics, and enhanced customer service and
 support capabilities -- all aimed at driving competitiveness, reducing
 operating costs, and increasing revenue."
 
     More Information on the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products
 Resellers
     For more information on the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products
 Resellers, please visit http://www.unitedstationers.com/SAP , or contact Ed
 Rodham, United Stationers, 847-699-5000, or visit http://www.SAP.com/usa/bpr .
 
     About United Stationers
     United Stationers Inc. is North America's largest broad line wholesale
 distributor of business products, with sales for the trailing 12 months of
 approximately $4.3 billion. Its integrated computer-based distribution systems
 make more than 40,000 items available to approximately 20,000 resellers.
 United is able to ship products within 24 hours of order placement because of
 its 35 United Stationers Supply Co. distribution centers, 32 Lagasse
 distribution centers that serve the janitorial, sanitation, and foodservice
 consumables industries, two Azerty distribution centers in Mexico that serve
 computer supply resellers, and two distribution centers that serve the
 Canadian marketplace. Its focus on fulfillment excellence has given the
 company an average order fill rate of better than 97%, a 99.5% order accuracy
 rate, and a 99% on-time delivery rate. For more information, visit
 http://www.unitedstationers.com .
     The company's common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market(R) under the
 symbol USTR.
 
     Forward-Looking Statements on United Stationers
     This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not
 historical in nature. These statements are based on management's current
 expectations, forecasts and assumptions. This means they involve a number of
 risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
 from those expressed or implied here. Factors that could affect United
 Stationers' future financial results are discussed more fully in its filings
 with the SEC, including its most recent Annual and Quarterly reports. Readers
 are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
 
     About SAP
     SAP is the world's leading provider of business software solutions*.
 Today, more than 29,800 customers in over 120 countries run more than 100,600
 installations of SAP(R) software -- from distinct solutions addressing the
 needs of small and midsize enterprises to suite solutions for global
 organizations. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver(R) platform to drive innovation
 and enable business change, mySAP(TM) Business Suite solutions are helping
 enterprises around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner
 collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business
 operations. SAP industry solutions support the unique business processes of
 more than 25 industry segments, including high tech, retail, public sector and
 financial services. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company
 is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and
 NYSE under the symbol "SAP." (Additional information at http://www.sap.com .)
 
     (*) SAP defines business software solutions as comprising enterprise
 resource planning and related software solutions such as supply chain
 management, customer relationship management, product life-cycle management
 and supplier relationship management.
 
     Forward-Looking Statements on SAP
     Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts
 are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities
 Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe,"
 "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project,"
 "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP
 are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no
 obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All
 forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that
 could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors
 that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in
 SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),
 including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC.
 Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
 statements, which speak only as of their dates.
 
     SAP, R/3, mySAP, mySAP.com, xApps, xApp, SAP NetWeaver and other SAP
 products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are
 trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other
 countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned
 are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this
 document serve informational purposes only. National product specifications
 may vary.
 
 

SOURCE  United Stationers Inc.