PRESS RELEASE

Tenneco Acquires Argentine Ride Control Manufacturer Fric-Rot

Tenneco Automotive Acquires Argentine Ride Control
Manufacturer

    DEERFIELD, Ill., Dec. 13 -- Tenneco Automotive
announced today the acquisition of approximately 94 percent of
Fric-Rot S.A.I.C., Argentina's leading ride control manufacturer.  The
purchase price was $52 million for the shares acquired.

   Fric-Rot is the second Argentine company Tenneco Automotive has
purchased ownership of within four months, as the company expands its
capability to serve the emerging Argentine and Mercosur regional
automotive markets.  In August, the company announced the acquisition
of 100 percent of Minuzzi, the country's second largest exhaust
manufacturer.  Tenneco Automotive, one of the world's largest
producers of exhaust and ride control systems with operations in 21
countries, has now completed 15 acquisitions and joint ventures during
the past two years to broaden its presence in the global automotive
industry.

    Fric-Rot, located in Rosario, has 350 employees and is expected to
post 1996 revenues of $45 million.  It will be operated as part of
Tenneco Automotive's Monroe Auto Equipment unit and assume the name of
Monroe Fric-Rot.

    Fric-Rot is the largest supplier in Argentina of original
equipment ride control products, which account for over half of its
sales.  It currently serves Peugeot, Renault, Volkswagen, Ford,
Chrysler and Fiat.  It is also Argentina's largest manufacturer of
replacement shocks and struts, which accounts for approximately 45
percent of its revenues.

    "With the acquisition of Fric-Rot, we now have exhaust and ride
control production capacity in both Argentina and Brazil," said Dana
Mead, Tenneco chairman and CEO.  "The synergies among these facilities
will help us become the pre-eminent South American supplier in our
business segments.  This addition is critical to our plans to expand
with the fast-growing auto industry in the Mercosur countries."

    The world's automakers have invested $3 billion in Argentina in
the last 4 years.  Buoyed by this major new capacity, Argentine new
car and light truck production increased four times between 1990 and
1996, to more than 400,000 units.  It is expected to nearly double
again, to 750,000 units, by 2000.

    "Fric-Rot is a very well-positioned company with experienced
management and many strong customer relationships," said Jack
Thompson, president of Monroe Auto Equipment and senior vice president
of Tenneco Automotive.  "By leveraging the customer relationships of
both companies, we expect to take advantage of a number of immediate
growth opportunities, in Argentina, Brazil and throughout the rest of
the world."

    With sales of $3.0 billion, Tenneco Automotive is the leading
worldwide manufacturer of ride control and exhaust systems for both
original equipment and replacement markets.  Headquartered in
Deerfield, Ill., USA, it operates 65 facilities in 21 countries in
North America, Europe, South America, Australia and the Asia-Pacific
region.

    Its parent company, Tenneco , is a diversified
manufacturing company based in Greenwich, Conn., with 1995 revenues of
$8.9 billion.  Tenneco also has a significant business interest in
packaging (Tenneco Packaging).


CONTACT: John McDonald, 847-940-6046, or Barbara Posner, 847-940-6009,
both of Tenneco Automotive