Cooper Tire to Market Kenda Brand in North America

FINDLAY, Ohio, Nov. 1, 2004 -- COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY today announced it will be the exclusive marketer of Kenda radial passenger and radial light truck tires in the United States and Canada.

A recent agreement between Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and American Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd., (d.b.a Kenda USA Corporation) provides Cooper with exclusive rights to market, sell and distribute Kenda's radial passenger and radial light truck tires.

"This is a logical extension of our ongoing relationship with Kenda Tire," says Phillip D. Caris, Cooper's vice president, sales and marketing. "This strategy provides Cooper with additional flexibility in the range of products we offer to meet the needs of today's tire consumers. We are certain this will benefit both existing Cooper and Kenda dealers and distributors."

All of the passenger and light truck tires associated with the agreement are new products, jointly developed by Kenda and Cooper, designed to complement the current product offerings of both companies. Kenda USA will continue to market its existing range of specialty tires.

Initially, the Kenetica H- and T-rated passenger radial tires will be available in the U.S. only. Additional lines will be added incrementally and extended into Canada as the business relationship develops.

"Kenda is delighted to be aligned with all of the capabilities Cooper Tire brings to the market," says Jimmy Yang president, Kenda USA. "Cooper's respect as an industry leader, innovative outlook and outstanding reputation for customer service will help grow the Kenda brand in North America. We are sure both companies will benefit from this great relationship."

Company Descriptions

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, specializes in the manufacture and marketing of products for the global automotive industry. Products include automotive, motorcycle and truck tires, inner tubes, tread rubber and equipment, as well as sealing, trim, NVH control systems and fluid handling systems. Cooper has more than 20,000 employees and 52 manufacturing facilities in 13 countries. For more information, visit the Company's web site at: http://www.coopertireandrubber.com/ .

Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., LTD., headquartered in Yuanlin, Taiwan, is the world's leading tire and tube manufacturer in Bicycle, Motorcycle, Agricultural, Trailer, Lawn and Garden, ATV, Golf Cart, Folk Lift, Automobile and other specialty areas. The Company also produces rubber membrane serving the water retention and commercial roofing industry under the brand of Pond King and StaFast Roofing. Kenda employs more than 7,000 people and has 5 manufacturing facilities located in Taiwan, Vietnam and China. For more information, please visit the Company's web site at: http://www.kendausa.com/ .