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Collins & Aikman Completes Sale of Air Restraint And Technical Products Division To Safety Components International

24 July 1997

Collins & Aikman Completes Sale of Air Restraint And Technical Products Division To Safety Components International

    CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24 -- Collins & Aikman Corporation
announced today that its JPS Automotive LP subsidiary has
completed the previously announced sale of its Air Restraint and Technical
Products Division, an industry-leading airbag and industrial fabric business,
to Safety Components International, Inc. .
    The purchase price of the Air Restraint and Technical Products Division is
$56.3 million, subject to adjustment.  Collins & Aikman intends to use the net
proceeds from the sale to reduce the Company's long-term debt.
    "The sale of this Division is another important step toward two of Collins
& Aikman's goals -- pursuing our core, tier one global automotive interior
trim systems business and deleveraging the company," said Thomas E. Hannah,
Chief Executive Officer of Collins & Aikman.
    Collins & Aikman Corporation is a global supplier of automotive interior
systems, including textile and plastic trim, acoustics and convertible top
systems.  Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, the Company's recent acquisitions of
JPS Automotive and Perstorp Components significantly expanded Collins &
Aikman's product offering and international presence to include additional
operations in the U.S., Mexico, Spain, Canada, Sweden, Belgium, France and the
U.K.  The Company employs more than 13,000 employees and operates 57
manufacturing facilities in 8 countries.
    Safety Components International, Inc. is an international manufacturer of
automotive airbags and a supplier of ordnance and other related defense
products with manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.

SOURCE  Collins & Aikman Corporation