ACG to Host Meeting in Troy, Tues. Dec. 2nd on State of Auto Industry, Supplier Strategy and Consolidation

TROY, Mich., Nov. 24, 2003 -- The Association of Corporate Growth Southeast Michigan Chapter will host a meeting 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy. Jim Gillette, director of supplier analysis, CSM Worldwide, will be the keynote speaker and will deliver a presentation "State of the Auto Industry & Future Trends (China): Supplier Strategy and Consolidation."

Cost of the event is $20 for members of the ACG and the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and $40 for guests. Persons can register online at www.acg-sem.org , or by mail at ACG, 115 E. Ann Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 or by faxing to 734/662-5544.

CSM Worldwide supports more than 350 automotive suppliers with global market intelligence and forecasting services. With corporate offices in Detroit, CSM Worldwide covers the global automotive environment from London, Brussels, Frankfurt, Budapest, San Paulo, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai and New Delhi.

Gillette, a former strategic marketing consultant for Automotive Components Groups of General Motors, will discuss the promise of "cheap" vehicle components from China along with disparities in predicted marketing and financial performance among the world's automakers, increasing strength among emerging auto markets, the weakening dollar and never ending cost-downs demanded by automakers of suppliers.

Founded in 1954, the Association of Corporate Growth Southeast Michigan Chapter is the premier association for and about professionals involved in middle-market corporate growth, corporate development and mergers and acquisitions. The Southeast Michigan Chapter of the ACG, with almost 200 members, is the ninth largest of 39 chapters in the US and Canada.