Interwoven TeamSite, XML-Based TeamSite Templating and IBM WebSphere to Power Co-op's B2B Intranet and Extranet Sites

SUNNYVALE, Calif. - September 21, 2000 - Southern States Cooperative, Inc., has chosen Interwoven TeamSite for the co-op's Web content development and management. Interwoven Inc.(Nasdaq: IWOV), the leading provider of enterprise-class content management, will provide a single platform that allows non-technical contributors to add content while allowing technical developers to manage the co-op's diverse Web assets. Southern States will start using Interwoven TeamSite software when the co-op begins its IBM WebSphere-driven eBusiness efforts to develop B2B intranet and extranet sites.

With operations in 25 states and more than 300,000 farmer-members, Southern States uses its existing external Web site ( http://www.southernstates-coop.com ) to feature corporate and agricultural information as well as the farm products and services at its more than 1,290 retail outlets. Given the site's diverse content, Southern States required a solution that could handle all aspects of content management: collection, creation, editing, storage and deployment of all Web assets.

"We judge the value of our site's content by its consistency, convenience, accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness," said Karen Lankford, project manager at Southern States. "Interwoven will help us create more value in all of these areas and make the user's Web experience more productive and worthwhile. TeamSite will also create greater efficiencies and reduce the overall costs to maintain our online catalogs and other Web-based data for our intranet and Internet sites."

Southern States selected the Interwoven platform because its user-friendly XML TeamSite Templating allows non-technical contributors to easily submit content. The co-op's current group of content contributors at its central office in Richmond, Va., is expected to grow after TeamSite and TeamSite Templating are implemented. TeamSite's ability to manage XML content also factored heavily into the selection of Interwoven because Southern States is using XML for the internal movement of all data, including order processing and cataloging.

"Efficient content management requires a solution that integrates easily with other eCommerce and authoring tools, providing a way to standardize the entire process," said Joe Ruck, vice president of marketing for Interwoven. "Interwoven will provide Southern States with the framework for tying together and streamlining the various elements of the content management process. As brick-and-mortar companies like Southern States use the Web to build their brands and expand product reach, it's critical that they maintain tight control over the form and timeliness of content."

As a cooperative, it was critical that Southern States leverage its existing IT infrastructure as it moved more of its business functions--like communications, training and billing--to the Web. TeamSite's open architecture allows Southern States to integrate easily with existing content creation tools such as such as DreamWeaver and its eCommerce engine, IBM's WebSphere Commerce suite.

Southern States--founded in 1923--is a farmer-owned cooperative with more than 300,000 farmer-members. It operates out of 25 states from Michigan to Florida and from Maine to Louisiana. As one of the largest U.S. farmer cooperatives, this Richmond, Va., -based firm purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer and fuel. It also sells farm, animal health, pet food, home and garden supplies through more than 1,290 retail outlets in its operating territory. In addition, Southern States gins cotton, procures peanuts and markets livestock, small grains, corn, soybeans and fish. In its fiscal year ended June 30, 2000, Southern States had sales of $1.55 billion.

Interwoven, Inc. (NASDAQ: IWOV) is the leading provider of enterprise-class Web content management software. Its flagship product, TeamSite, controls the development, management and deployment of business-critical Web sites. As the platform for eBusiness, Interwoven enables electronic commerce, customer relationship management, supply chain management and knowledge management for Web leaders and Fortune 1000 companies moving to the Web. TeamSite is available for both the Sun Solaris operating system and Microsoft Windows platform. For more information on the company and its software solutions, visit the Interwoven Web site at www.interwoven.cn or e-mail info@interwoven.com