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Durakon Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 1998 Earnings

28 January 1999

Durakon Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 1998 Earnings

    LAPEER, Mich., Jan. 27 -- Durakon Industries, Inc.
today announced expectations of substantially higher earnings
per share for the fourth quarter and the full-year 1998 compared with the
prior year.  These expectations are based on preliminary estimates; the
regular earnings announcement is planned to be released by early March.
    For the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1998, Durakon expects earnings
in a range of $0.43 to $0.48 per diluted share, up from $0.18 in the year-ago
quarter.  This would put full-year 1998 earnings in a range of $1.23 to $1.28
per diluted share, compared with $0.18 per diluted share in 1997.  Fourth
quarter sales are expected by management to be in a range of $46 million to
$50 million, bringing full-year 1998 sales to a range of $190 million to
$194 million.  In 1997, Durakon's sales were $47.9 million in the fourth
quarter and $179.9 for the entire year.
    "The fourth quarter appears to have been very strong for both of Durakon's
business segments," said David W. Wright, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Durakon Industries, Inc.  "Our programs aimed at reducing costs and
increasing productivity, as well as the now-completed divestiture of Duraliner
USA have had a very positive impact on Durakon's profitability."
    Durakon Industries is the world's leading producer and marketer of pickup
truck bedliners, and is a leader in the production and marketing of rollback
car carriers and wheel-lift towing vehicles.  Durakon's world headquarters and
its primary bedliner manufacturing facility are in Lapeer, Mich.  Other
manufacturing plants are in Greencastle, Pa.; Clinton, Tenn.; and Lerma,
Mexico.  Durakon's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the
ticker symbol DRKN.