Cooper Tire Finalizes Purchase of Hercules Retread Assets

COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY LOGO
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company logo. (PRNewsFoto)[JL]
FINDLAY, OH USA 04/04/2001
     FINDLAY, Ohio, July 2 COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
finalized the purchase of certain assets of the Hercules' retread
operations.  Those assets, including inventories, are being acquired for less
than $8.5 million, as originally reported.  Cooper will use these assets to
foster growth of its tread rubber and radial medium truck tires in support of
the independent tire dealer.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010404/COOPERLOGO )
    More than 200 former Hercules retread customers will now have access to
the tread rubber products through Oliver, the nation's second largest retread
supplier.  "We are making a pledge to the Hercules' dealers that we will
provide a consistent, high quality supply of products so they will be able to
continue their operations during our transition.  We are happy to say that we
are ready to immediately begin shipping products to our new customers and
providing the same level of excellent service that all of our retread dealers
have come to expect from Oliver," said Larry Enders, Commercial Division
President.
    Cooper Tire services Oliver retread dealers from three U.S. distribution
points: Asheboro, NC, Salt Lake City, UT and Tupelo, MS.

    Company Description
    Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is headquartered in Findlay, Ohio and
specializes in the manufacture and marketing of automotive products.  Products
for Cooper Tire include automotive, motorcycle and truck tires, inner tubes,
tread rubber and equipment.  Cooper-Standard Automotive is an original
equipment supplier of sealing, trim, NVH control systems and fluid handling
systems for the automotive industry in North America, Europe, Australia and
South America. Cooper has more than 20,000 employees and 57 manufacturing
facilities in 13 countries.  For more information, visit the Company's web
site at:  http://www.coopertire.com .