ORIS Opens $10 Million Alabama Manufacturing Complex

BESSEMER, Ala.--April 15, 2004--ORIS Automotive, a supplier of automotive exterior components and accessories, officially opened a new $10 million North American headquarters and manufacturing complex here today.

Grand opening ceremonies featured remarks by Alabama Governor Bob Riley and Hans-Heinrich Weingarten, executive vice president of the Mercedes-Benz Car Group and a member of DaimlerChrysler's management board.

The 115,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and 25,000-square-foot office building initially will have 45 employees. ORIS will manufacture trailer-hitch systems, wind-turbulence deflectors for convertibles and a variety of off-road-vehicle accessories at the location.

Planned future expansion at the 25-acre site includes a research-and-development center for NAFTA-market products and expanded marketing, sales and manufacturing operations, according to Joerg Riehle, co-owner of the ORIS Group.

The company's North American automotive customers include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen. In addition to trailer-hitch systems and wind-turbulence deflectors, off-road accessories produced at the Bessemer plant will include grille guards, side-protection bars, spare-wheel carriers and skid plates.

"The completion of this new manufacturing center underlines our plans to significantly expand operations in North America," said Riehle. "North America is our most important potential growth market."

The company's innovative WINDSTOP system for convertibles is designed to eliminate wind turbulence when driving with the top down. It is available for a wide range of European and American cars, including Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Volvo, Saab, Ford Mustang, Chrysler Sebring and Toyota Solara.

The company also has developed a unique tow-bar system with a retractable ball neck that tilts away into an "invisible" park position under the bumper when not in use. It will be available as a special accessory for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, S-Class and Opel Vectra Caravan.

The ORIS Group, based in Moeglingen, Germany, is a certified systems supplier of OEM parts and accessories to many of the world's major vehicle manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen. The company employs more than 700 people worldwide with locations in Germany, France, Canada and the United States. Sales in 2003 were close to $115 million. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.oris-gmbh.de.

Note to Editors:

Product photography is available on request by e-mail through the company's corporate and media contacts listed below.