DISCLOSURE GUIDELINES

How NPES Ensures the Confidentiality of Your Data

Association Research, Inc. (ARI) administers the NPES Market Data Program with the authorization of the NPES Board of Directors. This fact sheet will acquaint you with the Program and Association Research, Inc.'s role in this program.

The Market Data Program is comprised of a report on monthly orders and shipments for nearly 200 product categories in prepress, pressroom and graphic arts supplies.

Association Research, Inc.'s role is that of an independent third party acting in the capacity of a confidential agent with respect to information that is collected and tabulated. Association Research, Inc. is aware and sensitive to your concerns over confidentiality of your company's data. Accordingly, the following procedures are applicable to this program in order to ensure maximum confidentiality of individual company data.

Only Association Research, Inc. personnel directly assigned to this project have access to individual company data.

• Each company is identified by a unique company code known only to ARI and the participating company. This number is precoded onto individual company reporting forms, thereby eliminating the possibility of identification by anyone other than ARI personnel.

• Only participating companies and NPES receive copies of the monthly reports.

• Individual company questionnaires are retained for a period of one year or until the Annual Index Report is prepared. After such time, all data is destroyed in accordance with legal policy.

• Each company is assigned a username and password for access to the Electronic Reporting System (ERS). Participating companies will not have access to any individual company data. Only ARI will have full access and monitoring capabilities of the ERS system.

The following disclosure guidelines are strictly adhered to in compiling all data:

• If fewer than three (3) companies report on a line item, that data will not be disclosed in the monthly report and will be so noted with an asterisk (*).

• If three companies report on a line item and one company represents 50% or more of the total reported, that data will not be disclosed.

• If four or more companies report on a line item and one company represents 80% or more of the total reported, that data will not be disclosed.

The NPES Market Data Committee with approval from NPES Legal Counsel established these disclosure guidelines to promote responsible dissemination of confidential market data. While understanding the growing need for detailed and accurate data, NPES and ARI are strongly committed to the founding principle of the Market Data Program - confidentiality. At no time will ARI make individual company data available to NPES staff or its members. Confidentiality remains the highest priority of ARI.

Furthermore, the Market Data Committee strictly adheres to government antitrust guidelines, making it possible for member companies to work together in a legal forum.