Supply Chain Management and Results of OEM Performance Study Focus of Automotive News Manufacturing Conference, May 16 - 18

DETROIT, May 10, 2007 -- WHAT:    2007 Automotive News Manufacturing Conference
           Theme:  "The Seamless Supply Chain: The managerial culture and
                   technical tools that make for high-quality, high-
                   productivity manufacturing"

  WHEN:    Wednesday - Friday, May 16 - 18

  WHERE:   Renaissance Center Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

  AGENDA:  Program highlights manufacturing success via tight, cohesive
           supply chain management via:

           -- announcement of the formation of the Automotive Research
              Alliance - a clearinghouse for technological problem-solving
              in the automotive industry during the Tennessee Automotive
              Manufacturers Association Meeting (noon - 2 p.m. May 16).  The
              initiative is a joint project of the National Transportation
              Research Center, Inc.; the Tennessee Valley Authority and Oak
              Ridge National Laboratory, in conjunction with the region's
              most prominent universities - Alabama, Alabama-Birmingham,
              Auburn, Clemson, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Tennessee.

           -- insights from the industry's leading executives through
              individual morning and dinner presentations and an afternoon
              panel discussion entitled,  "Moving Parts: Achieving
              perfection in supply chain management" (May 17)

           -- presentation of the first Automotive News Suppliers' Choice
              Awards, recognizing OEMs that best encourage - solicit,
              implement and reward - suppliers' innovations as part of their
              total business plan (1:45 p.m. May 17)

           -- DaimlerChrysler media roundtable luncheon discussion featuring
              Executive Vice President of Manufacturing, Frank Ewasyshyn as
              well as Vice President-Union Relations, Al Iacobelli with an
              on-background labor negotiations overview
              (11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. May 17)

           -- Suppliers' Choice Breakfast Briefing (7:30 a.m. May 18).  J.D.
              Power and Associates will detail results of the 2007 OEM
              Supplier Innovation Study revealing suppliers' candid
              evaluation about the performance of the 11 manufacturers
              producing vehicles in North America.  Automotive News
              Associate Publisher and Editorial Director Peter Brown and
              Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Global Automotive Industry Leader
              Steve Laughman will join in reviewing the study's five key
              areas:

              -- Openness to new ideas

              -- Ease of working with OEM on innovative ideas

              -- Level of trust

              -- Willingness to offer financial incentives or rewards for
                 supplier innovation

              -- Ability to implement innovations

           -- VIP tours of Nissan's Smyrna Manufacturing Plant (a.m. May 18)

  SPEAKERS:    Executives addressing the Automotive News Manufacturing
               Conference:

           -- Bo I. Andersson, GM Group Vice President, Global Purchasing
              and Supply Chain, General Motors

           -- Douglas H. Bartow, Vice President Paint, BMW Manufacturing
              Corporation LLC

           -- William G. Diehl, President, CEO & Global Automotive Practice
              Lead, BBK

           -- Frank J. Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President - Manufacturing,
              Chrysler Group

           -- Ron Harbour, President, Harbour Consulting

           -- John G. Kalson, Vice President - Production, Hyundai Motor
              Manufacturing Alabama

           -- Bill Krueger, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Purchasing
              and Supply Chain Management for the Americas, Nissan North
              America, Inc.

           -- John Miller, Vice President, Purchasing, Nissan North America,
              Inc.

           -- Chris Nielsen, Vice President of Purchasing, Toyota Motor
              Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

           -- Vicki O'Meara, President, U.S. Supply Chain Solutions, Ryder
              System, Inc.

           -- Sanjiv Sidhu, Founder & Chairman, i2 Technologies, Inc.

           -- Frederiek Toney, Executive Director, Material Planning &
              Logistics, Ford Motor Company

  MEDIA    The Renaissance Nashville Hotel's Rock and Roll room will serve
  CENTER:  as a media center, equipped with phone and high-speed Internet
           lines, work stations and information tables.

  INFO:    http://www.autonews.com/files/07_anmc