NORTHBROOK, Ill.--Nov. 2, 2001--General Binding Corporation announced today a new initiative to help rapidly expand its dealer market share nationally by creating a new business to sell binding, laminating, shredding and presentation products through equipment dealers under the IBICO brand name. The creation of a dedicated business to develop and expand the equipment dealer network with a full line of finishing products is an aggressive move to expand coverage of geographic and vertical markets. The IBICO initiative includes a package of value-added services to enhance dealer customer service and profitability. The IBICO brand commands wide name recognition, particularly in the binding and lamination marketplace. "Establishment of a separate IBICO business demonstrates our commitment to our dealer partners,'' says newly-appointed IBICO President, Christopher O'Brien. "The vision of IBICO is to become a virtual portal of products and services to dealers through the establishment of a national dealer brand and network.'' Mr. O'Brien brings previous experience as GBC's Vice President of Sales and Service in its Document Finishing Group to his new position. In addition to recruiting more dealers, he plans to expand IBICO's share of each equipment dealer's business by offering them a full range of binding, laminating, shredding, presentation and related products, as well as financial rewards, services and marketing programs. In addition, the Company announced that Kevin Crisham, previously a top sales producer at NowDocs.com, an online document-finishing service company, has been appointed as Regional Manager to oversee the newly-created Central Region for the IBICO dealer network. He joins IBICO's Eastern and Western Regional Managers, Dennis Patterson and Frank Rooney, who are already in place under the existing dealer program.