Business Services Industry

Anixter and Decorp Sign International Distribution Agreement

Business Wire, March 11, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SKOKIE, Ill. & HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 2003

Professional Installers, Retailers and OEMs in North America, South

America and the Pacific Rim Gain Easy Access to FlatWire Ready

Products

Anixter Inc. (NYSE:AXE), the world's leading distributor of communications products, and DeCorp Americas, Inc., the leader in advanced flat wiring and interconnect technologies, today announced they have signed a distribution agreement. Under the agreement, Anixter will stock and distribute the DeCorp FlatWire Ready(TM) product line to its customers throughout North America, South America and the Pacific Rim.

"In today's market, wiring solutions must deliver both high performance and physical aesthetics," said Frank Matela, vice president of emerging technologies for Anixter. "DeCorp FlatWire Ready products meet both expectations. We are dedicated to providing our customers the most advanced wiring solutions, and adding the DeCorp product line to our inventory is an important part of that commitment."

Initially, customers in specific markets will be able to purchase DeCorp flat wire audio products, the industry's thinnest speaker wire, and corresponding interconnect and installation technologies. As DeCorp video, voice/data and electrical flat wire products become commercially available, Anixter customers will be among the first to access them. Anixter serves a broad customer base of professional installers, retailers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the world.

"Wiring home and office environments effectively and efficiently can be quite challenging -- especially in today's climate of tight budgets," said Robb Sexton, president and CEO of DeCorp Americas. "Our goal is to make wiring a simple process with sophisticated results, empowering decisions based on decorative preferences -- it shouldn't be an invasive and expensive improvement project. DeCorp FlatWire Ready products provide customers with the highest performance, greatest flexibility and maximum value, ensuring results that are pleasing both to technophiles and decorators. Extending our market reach by aligning with Anixter is a natural next step for us."

DeCorp patented FlatWire audio wire is available in high-performance and audiophile grades and ranges from 12 to 18-gauge. The company's patent-pending connectors enable easy connection to conventional speakers and audio components. With DeCorp, customers are able to install surround sound systems by mounting the flat audio wire directly to a wall or ceiling surface, eliminating the clutter associated with exposed wires and the cost associated with drilling holes through walls, floors and ceilings. DeCorp flat wire then virtually disappears under paint or wallpaper, enabling customers to enjoy both a high-quality sound experience and an aesthetically pleasing decor -- all at a cost that is significantly less than traditional alternatives.

About DeCorp Americas

DeCorp Americas, Inc., a privately held company located in the Nashville, Tenn. area, is the developer of the FlatWire Ready(TM) innovative, patented wiring and interconnection technologies. For more information on DeCorp, visit www.decorp.com.

About Anixter Inc.

Anixter Inc. (NYSE:AXE) is a leading distributor of communication products and a leading distributor of fasteners and other "C" Class inventory components to Original Equipment Manufacturers. The company adds value to the distribution process through its valued-added service and logistics programs and by providing its customers access to 1) more than 185,000 products and approximately $500 million in inventory, 2) 125 warehouses with more than 4.4 million square feet of space, and 3) locations in 193 cities in 40 countries. Founded in 1957 and headquartered near Chicago, Anixter trades on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AXE. Additional information about Anixter is available on the Internet at www.anixter.com.