---

Koito Acquires Majority Interest in North American Lighting

1 October 1998

Koito Manufacturing Acquires Majority Interest in North American Lighting

    FLORA, Ill., Oct. 1 -- Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of
Tokyo, Japan, and Hella North America Holding Inc., of Plymouth, Mich., today
announced an agreement under which Koito will purchase Hella's shares in their
joint venture Company, North American Lighting, Inc., located in downstate
Illinois.
    The transaction is expected to be closed later in October; terms were not
disclosed.
    The acquisition will give Koito 90 percent ownership in North American
Lighting, which is the largest independent U.S. manufacturer of automotive
lighting equipment.  It was formed in 1983 as a joint venture between Koito
and Hella North America (a wholly owned subsidiary of Hella KG Hueck & Co., of
Germany), and Ichikoh Industries, Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan, which was a later
participant in the venture.  Ichikoh will retain its 10 percent stake in the
company.
    "We are pleased to have been able to reach this agreement with Hella,"
said Takashi Ohtake, Executive Vice President of Koito.  "North American
Lighting provides us with a solid base from which to pursue future business
development strategies in the United States."
    North American Lighting, with $280 million in annual revenues, employs
about 2,000 workers in plants located in Flora and Salem, Ill., and a sales
office located in Farmington Hills, Mich.  It is a major supplier to the Big
Three automakers as well as the various Japanese auto manufacturing
transplants in the U.S.
    Koito, a publicly traded Japanese company, is one of the largest
manufacturers of automotive lighting equipment with operations throughout the
world.  Koito's fiscal 1998 revenues are estimated at approximately
$1.8 billion.