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American Axle & Manufacturing Establishes Presence in Mexico

23 February 1998

American Axle & Manufacturing Establishes Presence in Mexico

    DETROIT, Feb. 23 -- American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) has
announced that it will establish a wholly owned subsidiary in Mexico.
    Land has been purchased in the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico with
the intent of constructing a manufacturing facility to produce driveline
systems.  It is planned that this facility will also house AAM's Latin
American business office with sales and product engineering support.
    The purchase supports AAM's strategic initiative to diversify, profitably
grow and become the premier, tier-one global automotive supplier.
    The Guanajuato, Mexico location will provide excellent geographic access
to all vehicle manufacturers throughout Mexico and Latin America and will
allow AAM to provide them with local content.  This will enhance AAM's ability
to support our customers and to grow its business in this emerging market.
    It is anticipated that the groundbreaking for this facility will occur
during the first quarter of 1998 and that it will be operational on or before
August 2000.  Curt S. Howell, a multilingual four-year AAM veteran with over
10 years of global automotive experience (biography attached), has been
appointed managing director to oversee construction, build the organization,
and be responsible for the future operation of the facility.
    AAM is working closely with Mexican state and federal governments to plan
necessary staffing, education, training and skill set development.
    American Axle & Manufacturing, one of the world's leading automotive
suppliers, manufactures a wide variety of systems and components for the
automotive industry including rear axles, independent front axles, independent
rear-drive systems (IRDS), TracRite(TM) differentials, propeller shafts,
steering linkages, anti-roll systems, steering & suspension components, and
forged products, at facilities in Detroit, Michigan; Rochester Hills,
Michigan; Three Rivers, Michigan; Buffalo, New York; Tonawanda, New York;
Tokyo, Japan; and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada ... and, in the year 2000,
Guanajuato, Mexico.

    Curt S. Howell
    Managing Director
    American Axle & Manufacturing de Mexico, S.A. de C. V.

    Curt Howell, formerly director of Worldwide Programs, has been appointed
managing director, American Axle & Manufacturing de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
    Howell holds a bachelor of arts degree in Psychology from Michigan State
University and a master of international management from the American Graduate
School of International Management ("Thunderbird") in Glendale, Arizona.  He
also has a certificate in Eastern Asian Studies from Michigan State University
and an honours certificate in Language & Culture from Xi Bei University in the
People's Republic of China.  He is fluent in five languages, including Spanish
and Portuguese.
    Prior to joining American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) as Worldwide Programs
director on March 1, 1994, he held positions in production, supervision,
training, capacity planning, international business analysis, and launch
coordination with Chrysler Corporation.  His 14 years in manufacturing also
include experience as a trade specialist for IGG de Invisiones in Caracas,
Venezuela.
    Howell is the father of two daughters and is in the process of relocating
from Royal Oak, Michigan to the Guanajuato, Mexico area.

SOURCE  American Axle & Manufacturing