---

Ford to Acquire Engineering Company with Aluminum Stamping Expertise

20 January 1999

Ford to Acquire Engineering Company with Aluminum Stamping Expertise

    DETROIT, Jan. 19 -- Stressing its commitment to environmental
technology leadership, Ford Motor Company plans to acquire an
engineering company with unique experience in aluminum stamping.
    Ford has signed a letter of intent to acquire 100 percent ownership of
Troy Design and Manufacturing (TDM), based in Redford, Mich.  TDM has
extensive experience designing dies and other manufacturing tooling, and has
particular expertise, developed over twenty years of cooperation with Ford
Motor Company, in designing dies to stamp aluminum.
    "We are committed to developing and selling high-volume, no-compromise
products that meet the needs of our customers while being responsive to
societal needs," said Neil Ressler, vice president - Research and Vehicle
Technology, and the company's chief technical officer.  "High volume
application of lightweight materials, including aluminum, is a key to
increasing fuel economy and decreasing emissions to address global
environmental concerns."
    TDM will remain independent in order to maintain the entrepreneurial
spirit and culture that has made it the leader in draw die development,
Ressler said.  In addition to its unique experience working with aluminum, TDM
has expertise in draw development, soft tooling and die design.  The closer
cooperation within Ford's product development activity between sheet metal
design and die development will help Ford further streamline and shorten
product development time, especially when working with non-traditional
components.
    TDM has two facilities, in Redford and Warren, Mich., and has about 340
employees.
    Technical and manufacturing challenges have limited aluminum application
to single components or low-volume aluminum intensive vehicles.  Ford long has
been the leader among major automakers in the use of aluminum in high-volume
production vehicles.
    Ressler said Ford will continue to increase the aluminum content of its
cars and trucks.  Currently, Ford Expedition is the company's most aluminum-
intensive vehicle, with 335 pounds of the lightweight metal.  Other high-
volume Ford products built with an extensive use of aluminum include Taurus
with 270 pounds and the F-Series pickup truck with an average of 258 pounds.
The new Lincoln LS, to be introduced this spring, will contain 415 pounds of
aluminum.