Oxford Automotive Appoints New President/COO and CFO

TROY, Mich., Jan. 16, 2004 -- Oxford Automotive, Inc., a $1 billion Tier 1 supplier of specialized welded metal assemblies, today announced two key management changes.

Jeffrey W. Wilson, currently president-North America, has been appointed to the position of president and chief operating officer of Oxford Automotive, Inc. Prior to joining the company, Wilson served as vice president and business group leader for Tower Automotive. He was with Tower for five years, holding a number of senior-level positions. Before joining Tower, Wilson held various positions of increasing responsibility at other Tier 1 automotive suppliers.

Patrick Flynn, currently vice president-strategic planning, has been appointed to the position of chief financial officer, replacing Martin Welch who resigned this week to pursue other interests. Flynn has been involved with Oxford in various capacities since the mid-90s, helping to coordinate many aspects of Oxford's corporate development and finance activities.

"I am pleased to make these announcements today," said John Potter, CEO. "Although we continue to progress with the launch of several major programs, the past few months have been particularly challenging with declining volumes on some of our maturing platforms. The next few quarters are unlikely to show improvement on these platforms. Therefore, I believe that acceleration of our ongoing continuous improvement plan is necessary. The team we have assembled is well equipped to take on these challenges."

About Oxford Automotive, Inc.

Oxford Automotive, Inc., with headquarters in Troy, Mich., is a leading Tier 1 supplier of specialized welded metal assemblies and related services. The company, which is privately held, currently has approximately 7,000 employees at 32 locations in nine countries, with technology centers in the United States, France, Germany and Italy. Annual revenues for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003 were approximately $1 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements that constitute forward-looking statements, as that term is defined by the federal securities laws. All forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties and there can be no assurances that actual results will not materially differ from expected results. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements included in this press release include general economic conditions in the markets in which we operate, industry-based factors, and factors more specific to us such as: dependence on significant automotive customers; dependence on automotive industry conditions; uncertainty relating to new program awards; losses and declining base of business at our Canadian subsidiary; cyclical nature of the automotive industry; instability in the global economy; risks associated with conducting business in foreign countries; exposure to increased cost of purchased raw materials and components; inability to reduce costs; labor costs and strikes at our major direct and indirect customers and at our facilities; increased internal production by our automotive customers; the level of competition in the automotive supply industry; inability to develop or implement new technologies; inability to successfully integrate acquired businesses; inability to meet future capital requirements; exposure to environmental liabilities; inability to sell receivables; dependence on key personnel; and exposure to product liability and warranty claims.