Sherwin-Williams is a leading coating manufacturer and retailer with outlets in all 50 US states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. This extensive VSAT network will provide Sherwin-Williams with the latest advances in cost-effective telecommunications technology. A total of 2,200 terminals will be installed by December 1998.

"When we began looking at ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our inventory-control system, we wanted to ensure that we chose a system that is rapid, reliable, and accurate," said William Thompson, director of management information systems at Sherwin Williams' Paint Stores Company. "We wanted to better manage our inventory, so that we have the right product in the right location at the right time. HNS VSAT networks have proven to be very reliable and offered us a complete solution that satisfied all our capacity, maintenance, and installation criteria."

Sherwin-Williams will use the network to facilitate the implementation of their new innovative merchandise management system. By replacing their current land-based polling method with a VSAT network, product and inventory information can be updated on a much more timely basis resulting in both improved control and customer service.

In addition, Sherwin-Williams will realize the potential that its VSAT network will have in terms of productivity and customer care. By replacing the old system of faxes and phone calls, store clerks will now be able to tap into the central inventory database electronically throughout the day to access information and do online look ups for tasks such as order matching, local availability of products, and distributor communications. This will reduce customer waiting, errors in orders, and phone-line charges. Future plans for the network include online credit-card authorization, expanding database access, and possible intranet applications.

"We are very excited that a progressive company such as Sherwin-Williams has chosen the HNS VSAT solution to address its communications needs," said Dennis Conti, vice president of the Satellite Networks Division of HNS. "Sherwin-Williams represents a new market segment for HNS and is an excellent example of how VSATs offer a very flexible and competitive solution and price for businesses with diverse needs and geographically dispersed sites compared with terrestrial services. VSATs allow companies such as Sherwin-Williams to add broadband applications such as multimedia delivery and intranets as their needs grow."

HNS is providing Sherwin-Williams a turnkey solution that will be managed and maintained by HNS from the HNS shared hub in Minneapolis, Minn.

A world leader in satellite products and network systems for more than 25 years, HNS has 65 percent of the global VSAT market and has shipped more than 200,000 terminals. Headquartered in Germantown, Md., near Washington, D.C., the company has sales and support offices worldwide. HNS offers communications network solutions that include a complete line of integrated satellite and enterprise networking products encompassing VSATs, frame relay, and fixed and mobile wireless networks. HNS is Hughes Electronics Corporation company and an ISO-9001-certified manufacturer. The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock.