RubberNetwork.com LLC Announces an Eighth Member, Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.

    ATLANTA, March 6 RubberNetwork.com LLC, a global
electronic purchasing and procurement marketplace created by six leading
companies in the tire and rubber industry, announced the addition of the
eighth major tire company to the marketplace.  Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. of
Japan has become a member of RubberNetwork.com LLC.  This announcement closely
follows the addition of The Yokohama Rubber Company, Ltd.
    RubberNetwork.com(SM) announced last month that it had received approval
from the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) clearing the
transaction and giving a green light to the establishment of the marketplace
and to the commencement of its operations.  The first North American business
release is scheduled for early April.  This will be followed by progressive
launches of functionality in North America, followed by launches in Europe and
Southeast Asia in the course of 2001.  Bob Webster, Vice President of
Operations, noted that the company is evolving around the globe.  "We have a
team preparing for the first European launch which is scheduled for early
July.  In late February, we officially welcomed Yokohama and began the
planning process for the Asian launch which is scheduled for September."
    The RubberNetwork(SM) membership now includes eight of the largest
companies in the tire and rubber industry.  They are: Continental AG, Cooper
Tire & Rubber Company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Pirelli SpA, Groupe
Michelin, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. and The
Yokohama Rubber Company, Ltd.  The eight members represent slightly more than
half of the industry's global tire manufacturing capacity.  Total purchases
for the industry are estimated at more than $50 billion a year on raw
materials, equipment, machinery, goods and services.
    All tire and rubber industry manufacturers and suppliers are eligible to
become customers of RubberNetwork.com LLC.  Webster further noted, "Our buy-
side marketplace model encourages sellers to derive value by actively
utilizing all of the RubberNetwork service offerings.  We also welcome the
opportunity to work closely with other existing and future exchanges."

    TIRE COMPANY MEDIA CONTACTS:

    Continental (Germany)               Michelin (France)
    Petra Hamich                        Patrick Oliva
    49-511-938-1278                     33-473-32-2041
    petra.hamich@conti.de               patrick.oliva@fr.michelin.com

    Cooper (U.S.)                       Pirelli (Italy)
    Roger Hendriksen                    Daniele Pirola
    419-427-4768                        39-02-8535-4251
    rshendriksen@coopertire.com         daniele.pirola@pirelli.com

    Goodyear (U.S.)                     Sumitomo (Japan)
    Keith Price                         Masatoshi Hayashi
    330-796-1863                        81-78-265-3004
    kprice@goodyear.com                 125288@sri.dunlop.co.jp

    Yokohama (Japan)                    Toyo Tire (Japan)
    Corporate Communications Dept.      Takashi Yasuda
    81-3-5400-4531                      81-6-6441-8803
    mailto:yinfo@yrc.co.jp              t-yasuda@toyo-rubber.co.jp