Hyundai Motor America Opens First Inland Processing Center in Alliance, Texas; Facility Speeds Service for 51 Southern Dealerships

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 18 -- Hyundai Motor America (HMA) today announced the beginning of full operations at its first inland processing center in Alliance, Texas. Located outside of Fort Worth, the center is responsible for processing all vehicles for the states of Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Vehicles for the four states were previously processed by HMA's Portland, Ore. port, which serviced 51 dealerships in the region. With the addition of the Alliance port, Hyundai's vehicles are closer to the dealers in those states, providing better service and faster delivery.

Hyundai estimates the processing center investment at $3.3 million for the 2002 year alone. The center is 14,150 square feet and includes an office area as well as production and body shops. Combined, Hyundai and Auto Warehousing Company (AWC), the company responsible for processing the vehicles, employ 20 people, including one port manager, administrative staff and full time associates.

In addition to providing better service for the Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana dealerships, Alliance allows the Portland port operation to enhance service to the remaining 183 dealers in the Western and Central regions. In addition to the Alliance processing center, HMA operates four ports in Portland, Ore., Newark, N.J., Brunswick, Ga. and Wilmington, Calif.

``The addition of the processing center in Alliance, Texas will allow us to provide improved, quicker service to our dealers, reinforcing our commitment to dealer satisfaction,'' said Robert Cosmai, vice president of sales for Hyundai Motor America.

The facility, which was leased in the first quarter of last year and began limited operations in April 2001, has received several improvements to the existing structure, including the addition of an automated car wash and a full service paint and body shop. Full operations officially began at the facility in November 2001. The processing center is expected to handle approximately 32,000 vehicles in 2002.

Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars and sports utility vehicles are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 575 dealerships nationwide.