Corporate Express Press Releases - 2003

News Release - August 26, 2003 Corporate Express Joins Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC Corporate Express’ entire line of office products to be available to more than 1,500 healthcare facilities through GHX’s open and neutral electronic trading exchange

BROOMFIELD and WESTMINSTER, Colo. — August 26, 2003 — Corporate Express, Inc., a Buhrmann company (NYSE:BUH), announced today an agreement to join Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX), the only electronic trading exchange owned and governed by organizations representing the entire healthcare supply chain. This agreement will make Corporate Express’ entire line of office supply products available for hospitals and other healthcare providers to purchase electronically via GHX. Corporate Express is one of the world’s largest business-to-business suppliers of essential office and computer products and services and is the most recent addition to the growing list of suppliers participating in GHX. These suppliers include both large and small manufacturers and distributors, representing approximately 70 to 80 percent of the medical and surgical products purchased by U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems on a regular basis. Under this agreement, Corporate Express’ entire office supply product line, including future additions, will be available for purchase by healthcare providers connected to GHX. “Within healthcare, there is a dearth of resources that understand the industry’s needs as well as can provide superior customer service and products with cost savings. We are thrilled to begin this relationship with GHX, in order to provide a cost-efficient and convenient way for healthcare providers to source and purchase office supplies,” said Mark Hoffman, president and chief executive officer of Corporate Express North America. “Through GHX’s open and neutral electronic trading exchange, healthcare customers will receive the quality of products, service and cost savings synonymous with the name Corporate Express.” “Like Corporate Express, GHX strives to help its trading partners reduce costs through a streamlined and more efficient supply chain. Now, healthcare providers can enjoy improved efficiencies when making purchases from Corporate Express’ extensive array of quality office products and services,” says Bruce Johnson, GHX’s vice president of sales and marketing. Today, more than 1,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities and 100 suppliers conduct business via GHX, making it the world’s largest healthcare trading exchange in terms of the number of participants. About Global Healthcare Exchange Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) provides an open and neutral electronic trading exchange, along with complementary products and services, through which buyers and sellers can collaborate to improve efficiencies in the healthcare supply chain. The GHX Content Center improves the accuracy of purchasing transactions, reducing many of the most common and costly problems in healthcare procurement, while the privately held company’s revenue neutral business model is designed to lower costs for all involved. GHX’s owners, strategic partners, and trading exchange participants are representative of the entire healthcare supply chain, including manufacturers and distributors; integrated delivery networks (IDNs), hospitals and ancillary healthcare facilities; group purchasing organizations and their proprietary healthcare trading exchanges; and supply chain technology companies. Equity owners of GHX include Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.; GE Medical Systems; Baxter Healthcare Corp.; Medtronic USA, Inc.; Abbott Exchange, Inc.; Siemens; Becton, Dickinson & Co.; Boston Scientific Corp.; Tyco Healthcare Group, LP; Guidant Corp.; C.R. Bard, Inc.; AmerisourceBergen Corp.; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Fisher Scientific International, Inc.; McKesson Corp.; B Braun Medical Inc.; Premier, Inc. and HCA. For more information, visit www.ghx.com. About Corporate Express Corporate Express, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Buhrmann, NV (AEX:BUHR; NYSE: BUH), an international business services and distribution group. Buhrmann is the world's major supplier of office products, paper and graphic systems for the business market. Corporate Express' product offering includes office and computer supplies, imaging and computer graphics supplies, office furniture, document and print management, desktop software, promotional products, and other similar products. Corporate Express has operations in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Corporate Express' North American operations have over 200 facilities, including 48 distribution centers, and employ 12,400 people. The company's Web site address is www.CorporateExpress.com. ### Contact Information: For Corporate Express: Van Hindes Vice President Communications Corporate Express (303) 664-3989 For Global Healthcare Exchange: Karen Conway (719) 488-0359 (303) 564-2147 (cell)