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Remy Settles Patent Infringement Suit with Taiwan's Unipoint

Authorizes new wholesale channel with Wetherill Associates Inc.

ANDERSON, Ind., Dec. 6 -- Remy International, Inc., and Unipoint Electric Manufacturing Company Limited have settled a patent infringement lawsuit in which Remy asserted violations of various patents related to Remy's automotive alternator and starter technologies. Pursuant to the settlement, Unipoint has agreed not to produce products that infringe Remy patents; the validity of Remy's patents was not challenged. This settlement stems from legal action initiated against Unipoint by Remy last November.

Remy also delivered cease and desist notifications to more than 30 other manufacturers and distributors who have been involved in similar practices. These companies make little or no investment in technology and subsist by copying the intellectual property of legitimate automotive manufacturers. Remy will continue to gather samples sold in the marketplace to monitor for infringement on their patents. Additional legal action will be initiated if these companies continue to violate Remy's proprietary intellectual and technological advantages on starters and alternators.

Major national distributors and/or retailers, who may have unsuspectingly purchased patent-infringing parts from the companies named in the complaint, have also been advised of Remy's actions.

To ensure dual supply channels for Remy's high-volume alternators, the company officially licensed a wholesale supplier for North America, Wetherill Associates Inc. (WAI), headquartered in Royersford, Pennsylvania. Together, Remy and WAI will serve as the authorized sources for CS-130 and CS-130D alternators, alternator assemblies and kits. This new arrangement will provide parallel supply systems to ensure product availability and superior customer responsiveness.

Richard L. Stanley, President of Remy Inc., stated, "Our strong patent position has been confirmed by the terms of this settlement. Counterfeit and patent-infringing automotive replacement parts have become a major problem for the industry. The copied products may resemble our patented designs, but typically do not meet performance specifications in terms of functionality, quality and durability. Customers may incorrectly assume that a new knock-off part is a better choice than a remanufactured original equipment part. We are very proud of our engineering capabilities and the performance of our products. We will aggressively defend our patents against infringement."

The Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) estimates that counterfeit and patent-infringing replacement automotive parts cost the global automotive industry approximately $12 billion annually. As an active member of the MEMA Brand Protection Council, which focuses on combating counterfeiting and preserving intellectual property, Remy joins a growing list of major manufacturers taking a proactive position to ensure consumer confidence.

Wetherill Associates is one of North America's leading manufacturers and distributors for automotive electric aftermarket components with operations and customers throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Europe, Latin America and China

Remy International, Inc., headquartered in Anderson, Indiana, is a leading designer, manufacturer, remanufacturer and distributor of electrical components and hybrid power systems. The company also provides a worldwide core exchange service for automobiles, light trucks, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and other heavy-duty off-road and industrial applications. Remy was formed in 1994 as a partial divestiture by General Motors Corporation of the former Delco Remy Division, which traces its roots to Remy Electric, founded in 1896. More information is available at the company's website: http://www.remyinc.com/