Behr America Will Build New Production Plant in Mexico

MEXICO CITY, April 6 -- Behr America will build a new production plant in northeast Mexico this year.

A global supplier of automotive air conditioning and engine cooling systems, Behr is considering two sites for the new facility and hopes to break ground this spring.

The plant will supply engine-cooling units to automakers in Mexico and also export to the U.S. It will be built in two stages, with the first 130,000-square-foot building scheduled for completion by the end of 2006.

The initial investment is $13 million. When phase one is completed, the plant is expected to employ 250 people with estimated annual sales of $110 million.

The new plant also will provide capacity to accommodate Behr America's business growth beyond 2007.

"We are laying the foundation for further growth in North America," says Frank Mueller, president and CEO of Behr America. "Our continuing expansion demonstrates a clear commitment to our customers in North America."

The new Mexican plant will be built near customer assembly plants in Mexico and will not impact operations at other Behr America plants, he said.

Headquartered in Troy, Mich., Behr America has nearly 3,000 employees at facilities in Troy, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio; Charleston, S.C., and Fort Worth, Texas.

Parent Behr GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, is a systems partner for the international automobile industry. A specialist for automotive air-conditioning and engine-cooling systems, the Behr Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of original equipment for passenger and commercial vehicles. Group sales in the 2005 business year were approximately $3.8 billion. Currently Behr employs more than 18,000 people at 10 development and 30 production sites in Europe, North and South America, Asia and South Africa.

For additional company information, please visit http://www.behrgroup.com/.