Chicago – TotalWorks Inc., a premier enterprise publishing solutions provider, will collaborate with Ace Hardware Commercial & Industrial Supply (C&I) on an automated publishing solution for creation of richly designed, store promotional flyers. The publishing tool will enable independent Ace Hardware C&I store owners to create highly targeted, customized promotional literature for specific markets and customer bases. TotalWorks will provide a web-enabled utility to enable more than 300 Ace Hardware C&I stores, Ace’s newest business line, to control product selection, design elements, pricing and other document variables in creating their monthly promotional flyers. Store managers will log onto a secure Web site, choose Ace-approved design elements, and produce a flyer with appropriate store location in formation in a matter of minutes. Previously, Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace Hardware C&I produced a monthly flyer for all of its stores. Product promotions and pricing were the same for stores from Illinois to Florida. “Before recognizing how TotalWorks could help us easily customize our store promotions in order to increase sales, we were developing across-the-board promotions for all of our stores. Now, each store manager will create promotional flyers based on customer preferences in their geographic area,” said Don Peet, manager of Ace Hardware C&I. “The TotalWorks solution gives Ace the ability to offer its independent distributors an easy to use tool that will help them gain a competitive edge in their market.” “We are proud to have been chosen by Ace Hardware C&I to provide them with the tools to help support their members efforts to drive sales store owners drive sales,” said president and CEO of TotalWorks, Gail Ludewig. “We are eager to see the infinite positive effects that targeted sales promotion will have on Ace’s market development and market share.” The BYOFlyer program will combine content creation and project management characteristics into a web-top based publishing solution that will be hosted, supported and upgraded by TotalWorks. Individual Ace stores will have the ability to view reports showing most-selected products on a national and local level. Managers can then choose products to promote or discount, identify “feature” items and will be able to edit images, text and pricing information as approved by Ace. Sales flyers can be created and ready for print in less than 20 minutes. “TotalWorks is helping us to build the Ace Commercial & Industrial Supply brand with our customers,” Peet said. “Targeted promotions will build customer satisfaction and strengthen the visibility of our C&I stores in their market place.” Ace Hardware C&I will unveil the TotalWorks solution to its store managers next month. TotalWorks’ premiere enterprise publishing solution enables its clients to store, manage and manipulate digital product and company data for output to high-end, richly designed graphic-rich print and electronic sales and marketing materials. TotalWorks has created the most robust integrated outsourcing solution combining digital asset management, project management, content creation and output along with flexibility, simplicity and cost effectiveness. In addition to Ace Hardware C&I, TotalWorks counts among its customers United Stationers, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Imagination Publishing. TotalWorks is a family-owned company, celebrating 75 years in business. More information on TotalWorks can be found on the Web at www.totalworks.net.