Exide Technologies Launches Lean Production System

    PRINCETON, N.J., June 7 Exide Technologies , the
global leader in stored electrical energy solutions, is taking the next step
toward becoming a truly world-class company with the launch today of "EXCELL,"
short for Exide's Customer-focused Excellent Lean Leadership system.  Since
late last year, Exide Technologies facilities across the globe have been
working to achieve the systematic elimination of waste and implementation of
the concepts of "continuous flow and customer pull" throughout the Exide
Technologies supply chain.  This effort will now be greatly accelerated
throughout Exide Technologies with the launch of  EXCELL.

    "When people hear about lean production, unfortunately many automatically
think of reductions in workforce and financial cuts," said Robert Weiner,
Exide's Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Engineering.  "In
reality, getting lean isn't necessarily about getting smaller.  If that were
the case, Toyota wouldn't be the huge, successful company that it is today.
Getting lean is about one thing:  the elimination of waste.  It's about
cutting out work that doesn't add value to the customer and refocusing that
energy toward work that does add value."

    "The EXCELL process will touch every part of our business as we move
forward, helping to shape the way we think about not only manufacturing, but
our other business processes as well," said Craig H. Muhlhauser, President and
Chief Operating Officer.  "The goal is to move quickly to implement this new
system, first in manufacturing, then throughout the company."

    To accelerate the EXCELL implementation, day-to-day operating
responsibility for manufacturing in Exide Technologies' GNB Industrial and
North American and European Transportation businesses will be driven by a
newly formed EXCELL Center of Excellence, under Weiner's leadership, effective
immediately.

    The following manufacturing and operations executives have been reassigned
to report directly to Bob Weiner:

    *  Kevin Jenkins, Director of Manufacturing-Transportation Business Group;
    *  David Wesley, Director of Operations-GNB Industrial Power;
    *  Gilbert Marchesin, Director of Manufacturing-Transportation Europe.

    In addition, support staff from areas including quality, human resources
and finance will be utilized as necessary to support the implementation.