Dun & Bradstreet enters into strategic alliance with South African firm; Dun & Bradstreet information available on/to South African firms

Business Wire, May 11, 1995

MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 1995--Dun & Bradstreet Information Services has entered into a strategic alliance with Information Trust Corp. (ITC) of South Africa. As a result, businesses around the world will gain on-line access to credit and marketing information on South African companies. The alliance will also enable South African businesses easy access to credit and marketing information from D&B's global network.

"This partnership will provide great benefits to all our customers as they renew and develop trade links with South Africa," said Richard Archer, president, D&B Europe, who will serve on ITC's board of directors. "The fact that we are able to do this with a company originally part of D&B ensures consistency of quality and service standards and has enabled us to rapidly restore on-line services."

The alliance was formed with the purchase today by D&B of10 percent of ITC from Electronic Media Network Ltd. (M-Net), a South African media company. ITC is a subsidiary of Trans Union, a U.S.-based consumer credit reporting agency.

As part of the deal, D&B will provide ITC with advanced technology to enhance ITC's data collection, business credit rating, and service systems.

Tony Leng, managing director of ITC, said, "As South African companies reenter the world's economic community, it is vital that they forge alliances with the world's leading players in their industries. To this end ITC now has equity participation and partnerships with D&B for commercial information and with Trans Union for consumer information. Our business has grown dramatically over the past year and partnering with D&B will give us further opportunities to serve our customers and expand our product offering."

ITC, established in 1901 by D&B, was sold to its management in 1986 when Dun & Bradstreet divested its businesses in South Africa. The company was purchased by M-Net in 1990, which then sold most of the company to Trans Union in 1993.

Dun & Bradstreet Information Services is a company of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, the world's largest marketer of information, software and services for business decision making, with worldwide revenue of $4.9 billion in 1994.

CONTACT: Dun & Bradstreet Information Services

David M. Monfried, 908/665-5377 (U.S.)

Philip Mellor, 44-1-494-423-346 (Europe & Africa)