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Colonel's Adds Three More Distributors Bringing Nationwide System to 21

12 January 1998

Colonel's Adds Three More Distributors Bringing Nationwide System to 21

    MILAN, Mich., Jan. 12 -- The Colonel's International, Inc.
, a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of automotive parts
and supplies, announced today that it had acquired three more truck accessory
warehouse and retail stores, bringing to 21 its nationwide warehousing and
distribution facilities.  Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
     The three facilities, all located in the greater Los Angeles area,
include Wild Bill's Truck Accessories, Inc., Upland; Bedliner Kingdom, Los
Angeles; and Southland Shell Center, Pomona.  The Colonel's also has
facilities in Baldwin Park and Riverside, California.
    The Colonel's also recently completed the acquisition of the retailing
outlets of Eastern Off Road, Inc., which gave it facilities in Pennsylvania,
Virginia and West Virginia.
    The three new centers will market and install truck accessories
manufactured by the Company, including truck bedliners, tonneau covers, caps
and shells.  These centers will also offer other truck accessories including
trailer hitches, running boards, lights and trim pieces, wheels, bed mats,
tool boxes, bug shields and a host of other, truck and sport utility vehicle
accessories.
    John Carpenter, president of The Colonel's Truck Accessories subsidiary,
noted that "the new acquisitions will allow us to have greater presence in the
rapidly growing Los Angeles area.
    "Further, it will give us local outlets to sell our camper shells, caps
and tonneau covers, which are manufactured in our Riverside plant, replacing
competitors' products, in these lines."
    Mr. Carpenter also indicated that The Colonel's was studying a number of
other distribution-type acquisitions throughout the country as part of the
Company's overall goal to become more vertically integrated.
    The Colonel's International is a holding company for three wholly owned
subsidiaries.  The Colonel's, Inc., based in Milan, MI, manufactures and
distributes replacement bumpers and facias.  The Colonel's Truck Accessories,
Inc., based in Owosso, MI, manufacturers bedliners, caps, tonneau covers and
other truck accessories.  Brainerd International Raceway, Inc. owns and
operates a multi-purpose motor sports facility in Brainerd, MN.
    This news release includes certain statements that may be considered
forward-looking under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements are subject to a numbers of important risks and uncertainties
that could cause the contemplated transactions not to occur.

SOURCE  Colonel's International, Inc.