Bekaert Realigns to Educate Market about Window Film

SAN DIEGO, June 12 -- Today Bekaert announced changes to its management team, which are designed to enhance the company's ability to market to consumers and to interact more productively with its worldwide network of professional installers and dealers. As part of this effort, the company has hired several new marketing professionals, including Mike Harris as Vice President, Marketing and Peter Lovasz, Automotive Product Market Manager. Additionally, Bekaert has promoted Lawrence Constantin to the position of Regional Sales Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

"We are confident that our team -- both the new members and those who have been a vital part of our success to date -- will help Bekaert extend our position as the leading manufacturer of window films for commercial, residential and automotive installation," noted Bekaert President Christophe Fremont. "Our team is focused on educating consumers, architects, builders, and our vital network of installation professionals, about the benefits of window film in general, and ours in particular."

For many years, consumers have envisioned dark, heavily tinted window film as their only option for automotive or residential use. Similarly, builders and architects mostly consider window film as a shaded, tinted film for use on commercial buildings for energy and glare control. Bekaert is seeking to realign this perception with the reality of window film today -- that window film is available in a variety of "tints" from transparent to dark, and not only improves energy efficiency of homes, buildings and automobiles, it can also provide security against vandalism and storm force winds, as well as providing privacy. Further, the transparent window films available now, such as Bekaert's Panorama Hilite window film, can offer the same level of protection from solar damage -- to skin, furnishings and car interiors -- as the darker tints, making window film a viable solution for consumers who want the benefits of window film without changing the appearance of their home or car.

The Team

Bekaert hired Michael Harris as Vice President of Marketing. With extensive knowledge of business to consumer marketing, Harris will report directly to President Christophe Fremont. Harris experience includes leadership roles in marketing and product planning for Philips Consumer Electronics, a division of Royal Philips Electronics. He began his career as a management consultant with Coopers & Lybrand, and he holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

Lawrence Constantin, who has been with Bekaert for five years, has been newly appointed as Regional Sales Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In his role as regional manager he will report to Christophe Fremont and will work closely with the regional managers responsible for the Americas and Asia to ensure flawless global execution. Prior to taking this position, Constantin was the Panorama Program Manager, based in Clearwater, Florida. In his new role, which is based out of Belgium, he will be responsible for synchronizing EMEA sales execution with the marketing vision of Bekaert.

Peter Lovasz has joined Bekaert as Automotive Product Market Manager. Lovasz will report to Michael Harris and work closely with customers and sales and marketing teams around the world to align the Company's strategic vision for its automotive business with the marketplace. Peter holds an MBA from San Diego State University. He spent the past eight years in sales, marketing and product management roles with Mitchell International, the second largest global developer and marketer of software and web enabled solutions for the automotive collision repair industry.

More information on Bekaert's window films, installations and dealer network is available at http://www.bekaertfilms.com/. For media or photography inquiries contact bsf@matternow.com.

Profile

Bekaert (http://www.bekaert.com/) seeks sustainable profitable growth based on its two core competences: advanced metal transformation and advanced materials and coatings. Bekaert aims to consolidate its position as both market and technological leader around the world. With its broad range of high technological products, systems and services, Bekaert offers high added value for its customers. Bekaert (Euronext Brussels: BEKB) is an European based company, headquartered in Belgium, employing 16400 people. Bekaert, present in 120 countries, generates sales of euro 2.7 billion.

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