Hayes Lemmerz Receives Favorable Intellectual Property Ruling

    NORTHVILLE, Mich., Feb. 27 Hayes Lemmerz International,
Inc. , announced today that a Special Master appointed by the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan has recommended entry of
an order granting Hayes Lemmerz a victory in its defense of an intellectual
property lawsuit brought by Lacks Industries, Inc. (Lacks).

    In March 1997, Lacks filed a multi-patent infringement suit against Hayes
Lemmerz and McKechnie Vehicle Components USA, Inc. alleging that Hayes Lemmerz
and McKechnie violated three patents owned by Lacks relating to a process for
attaching a clad cover to the outer surface of a steel wheel.

    In August 1998, the Court ruled that two of the three Lacks' Patents were
invalid and unenforceable.  The Court appointed a Special Master to conduct a
trial and issue a report on the validity of the third patent.  In late
January, the Special Master issued a report concluding that the final Lacks'
Patent is also invalid and unenforceable and recommending that the Court
dismiss Lacks' Complaint.

    By this action declaring Lacks' Patents invalid and unenforceable, Hayes
Lemmerz and McKechnie will have the only patented technology in the world for
attaching clad covers to the outer surface of steel wheels.

    According to William Linksi, President of Hayes Lemmerz' North American
Fabricated Wheels Business Unit, "This is a most satisfying ruling for Hayes
Lemmerz.  We will continue to protect our technology by defending our
intellectual property rights in order to serve our customers."