Nicholas Plastics Group Expands its Presence in Detroit

            Establishes Design Facility, Adds Staff and Resources
                          To Technical Sales Center

    TROY, Mich., March 26 To better serve its automotive
customers, the Nicholas Plastics Group has strengthened its presence in the
Detroit area by establishing a design center and expanding its current
technical center in Troy.
    The Nicholas Group, a single-source provider of plastic solutions for the
automotive and other industries, said the expansion allows the Company to
offer its customers a "cradle-to-grave" package of services -- from design and
rapid prototyping through final production and shipping.
    The Nicholas Group has launched NPD, Inc. as a complete design facility,
specializing in automotive lighting and sealing, as part of its Technical
Sales Center in Troy.  NPD offers total program support, including product
design, program management and rapid prototyping for its automotive customers.
In addition to NPD, the Technical Sales Center now houses program management,
engineering and sales personnel.
    "This expansion underscores our continued commitment to serving the
changing needs of our automotive OEM and other customers as complete solution
providers," said Terry Nicholas, president and chief executive officer of the
Nicholas Group.  "We will continue to expand our presence in the Detroit area
so that we will be able to provide a full slate of design, engineering and
manufacturing services.
    "The Nicholas Group of companies remains committed to providing superior
customer service.  Our Technical Center allows us to offer 'one-on-one'
service custom tailored to the needs of our OEMs and Tier 1 partners.  As we
continue to expand our presence in Michigan, we will look for ways to better
serve the needs of all our customers -- whether they are in Detroit, Grand
Rapids or elsewhere."
    With the addition of NPD, the Technical Sales Center is now home to nearly
one dozen Nicholas associates, who work provide complete program support for
the Nicholas Group's extruded and injection-molded components to General
Motors Corp, Ford Motor Corp., DaimlerChrysler Corp., as well as several
Tier I suppliers.
    NPD utilizes state-of-the-art engineering and design software, including
Unigraphics, SDRC, Catia and Cimatron, with full translation services
available for all other computer-assisted design (CAD) programs.
    "Our automotive customers expect us to bring engineering and design
expertise to the table -- which we have done for years," Nicholas said.  "With
NPD, we are able to get involved much earlier in the process and provide
additional value for our customers."
    NPD joins the Nicholas Group of companies, which includes Nicholas
Plastics, Inc. and N-K Manufacturing, Inc., which are sister companies located
in West Michigan.  The Technical Sales Center is located at 3221 W. Big Beaver
Road, Suite 117 in Troy and can be reached by calling 248-649-4247 or faxing
248-649-4517.
    The Nicholas Plastics Group (http://www.nicholasplastics.com ) is a single-
source, vertically integrated, value-added provider of plastic solutions for
the automotive, office furniture, appliance and related industries.
Headquartered in Allendale, Mich., the Nicholas Group has manufacturing
facilities in Allendale and Grand Rapids, and a technical sales and design
center in Troy.  Through its subsidiaries, Nicholas Plastics, Inc. and N-K
Manufacturing Technologies, Inc., the Nicholas Group specializes in complete
extrusion and injection molding, design and engineering services for customers
such as General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Tier One suppliers, as well
as manufacturers of office furniture, appliances and other industries.