EXHIBIT 99



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                               DANIEL M. JUNIUS AT (978) 449-3416



          NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE, INC. COMPLETES
         ACQUISITION OF SAFEGUARD BUSINESS SYSTEMS, INC.


GROTON, MA  June 2, 2003  New England Business Service, Inc.
(NYSE: NEB) today announced that it has completed the previously
announced acquisition of Safeguard Business Systems, Inc.   New
England Business Service paid $72.5 million in cash, subject to a
post-closing working capital adjustment, to acquire 100% of the
stock of Safeguard Business Systems and retire their debt.
Safeguard Business Systems, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, will
operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of New England Business
Service.

New England Business Service, Inc. is a leading business-to-
business direct marketing company with 2.5 million active small
business customers in the United States, Canada, the United
Kingdom and France.  NEBS supplies a wide variety of business
products and services which are marketed through direct mail,
telesales, a direct sales force, dealers and the Internet.  NEBS
also designs, embroiders and sells specialty apparel products
through distributors and independent sales representatives to the
promotional products/advertising specialty industry, primarily in
the United States.  More information about NEBS is available at
the Company's web site, www.nebs.com.

Safeguard Business Systems was founded in 1956 as a manufacturer
of commercial checking products.  Today they offer hundreds of
items to more than 600,000 small business customers across the
U.S. and Canada, including printed products, promotional items,
and corporate apparel.  Safeguard Business Systems delivers these
products through a network of more than 360 local distributors
who average 17 years of experience.  This extensive industry
experience and direct sales support ensures that their customers
have access to the product expertise and personal service they
need to run a successful business.  Learn more at
www.GoSafeguard.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including
expectations for future revenue and earnings performance arising
from current trends in referenced product lines and channels, and
other initiatives.  These forward-looking statements reflect New
England Business Service, Inc.'s current expectations only, and
the Company expressly disclaims any current intention to update
such statements.  There can be no assurance that the Company's
actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or
implied by these statements due to various risks and
uncertainties, including risks and uncertainties associated with
successfully integrating the two companies and retaining key
personnel, changed customer preferences or economic conditions
affecting demand for the Company's products, and other factors
described in the New England Business Service, Inc.'s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 29, 2003,
on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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