Emhart Fastening Teknologies Acquires Bamal Automotive Division

    NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 1 Emhart Fastening Teknologies, a
world leader in fastening systems and assembly technology, announced today
that it reached an agreement with Bamal Corporation to acquire the assets and
ongoing business of its automotive division in Farmington Hills, Mich.

    Bamal Corporation is one of the nation's largest value-added distributors
of production fasteners to automotive manufacturers and Tier One suppliers.
The company also specializes in automotive platform management, logistical
services and plant management systems.

    Commenting on the acquisition, Paul A. Gustafson, president and CEO of
Emhart Fastening Teknologies, said: "Bamal's automotive division complements
our array of customer services, which range from product design to lineside
delivery, to ongoing technical consultancy and after sales service.  This
business fits perfectly with our global automotive division."

    Gustafson added: "We were particularly attracted to Bamal's ability to
support developing automotive platform management concepts and provide full-
range logistical services to the automotive market.  Emhart Fastening
Teknologies serves a similar customer base in North America, so together we
can provide customers with peerless levels of engineering expertise and
distribution capability."

    The automotive division of Bamal will become part of Emhart Fastening
Teknologies global automotive division and report to Michael A. Tyll,
president of the division.

    Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.