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National-Standard Opens Peterlee, UK Operation

23 January 1998

National-Standard Opens Peterlee, UK Operation

    NILES, Mich., Jan. 23 -- National-Standard Company
has announced its first expansion into the European air bag market
with the opening of a new facility to manufacture air bag components in
Peterlee, UK.  The leased facility, scheduled to open with seven employees on
February 2, 1998, is National-Standard's first air big related operation in
the European market and sixth air bag materials unit worldwide.
    "National-Standard has been successful in expanding our presence in the
air bag filtration market by placing small manufacturing plants close to the
facilities of the leading air bag manufacturing companies.  The Peterlee site
will allow us to expand our relationship with TRW, Inc., with headquarters in
Cleveland, Ohio.  We currently supply TRW's plant in Mesa, Ariz. with driver
side inflator filters and passenger side inflator filter components.  The new
Peterlee plant is located in northeastern England close to TRW's Mill Hill
operation, recently established to produce non-pyrotechnic passenger side
inflators used in air bag modules for the European market.  This is our first
opportunity to provide material for non-pyrotechnic devices, in this case, a
machined stainless steel housing for the passenger side inflator.  Today, air
bag filtration materials, including wire cloth, Fibrex(R), fabricated filters
and other air bag components, represent almost one third of our sales," said
Michael B. Savitske, President and Chief Executive Officer.
    Annual sales from the site are expected to be $5 million, growing to
$9 million in the next three years based on assumed continued growth in the
demand for these products.
    National-Standard's Peterlee facility will be managed by Mr. Brian Argyle,
who is a native of northeast England, Count Durham area.
    Founded in 1907, National-Standard is a Niles, Mich. based firm with
annual sales of approximately $250 million.  In nine operating facilities
throughout the world, the Company manufactures and distributes a broad range
of wire and wire-related products, including tire bead wire and welding wire,
in addition to wire cloth and fabricated filters for the automotive air bag
industry.

SOURCE  National-Standard Company