Akebono to Build Fourth New Plant in Kentucky

    FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., May 8 In a groundbreaking
ceremony held yesterday, Akebono Corporation, a leading supplier of friction
materials and brake products to the automotive industry, announced it will
begin construction of a new $70 million manufacturing facility in Springfield,
Ky.  The new plant will be the fourth Akebono manufacturing facility in the
U.S., all of which are located in Kentucky.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010508/DETU019 )
    The new plant will produce brake pads for original equipment manufacturers
as well as for the automotive aftermarket, and will employ 200-250 persons.
The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, incorporating Akebono's high-
quality production technologies, will initially cover 126,000 square feet,
with expansion plans to ultimately increase the size to 190,000 square feet.
Akebono plans to move equipment into the plant in the first quarter of 2002,
becoming fully operational by the third quarter.
    According to Chuck Nobumoto, chairman, president and CEO of parent company
Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd., "The growth of our brake pad business in
North America has been steadily increasing.  To keep up with the projected
demand, we have to create additional capacity to meet our customers' needs."
    "This is exciting news both for Washington County and for Kentucky," said
Kentucky Governor Paul Patton.  "It says that Akebono's current employees in
Kentucky are so dedicated and productive that the company wants to build an
even stronger future here.  Also, Akebono's decision to expand its number of
Kentucky facilities shows the rest of the corporate world that it's just good
business to locate in the Commonwealth."
    "Once again, the work ethic of the Kentucky worker proved to be a major
factor in the decision to expand in Kentucky," added Gene Strong, Secretary of
the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.  "With our quality workforce
and our central location, Kentucky has become the location of choice for many
of the best companies in the world."
    Akebono is a leading supplier of foundation brakes and friction material
used by dozens of U.S., European and Japanese vehicle manufacturers including
Honda, Saturn, Mitsubishi, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Nissan,
Audi, Volkswagen, Isuzu and Ford.
    Akebono Corporation's global sales exceed $1.0 billion and the company is
listed among the Top 150 Automotive Suppliers in North America by Automotive
News.  The company is headquartered in Japan and has a European office and
manufacturing facility in France, along with the current three plants in the
U.S.  U.S. aftermarket sales activity is handled from its operations in
suburban Chicago, Illinois.

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