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ASC to Open Kitchener Plant for Toyota Solara Production

1 March 1999

ASC to Open Kitchener Plant for Toyota Solara Production

    SOUTHGATE, Mich., March 1 -- ASC Incorporated has leased a
54,700 sq. ft. facility in Kitchener, Ontario's Huron Industrial Park to
produce, in partnership with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC),
the new Solara convertible.  The new facility will be operational to meet the
convertible's launch date of spring 2000, according to John Nechiporchik, ASC
chief operating officer.
    Currently under construction, the facility sits on 4.417 acres on Trillium
Drive in the Huron Industrial Park.  It features 48,000 sq. ft. of
manufacturing space and 6,700 sq. ft. of office space, and will employ more
than 60 at start up.  Planned capacity at the plant is 6,000 vehicles
annually.
    "We're pleased with the location and amenities this facility provides,"
said Nechiporchik.  "We have the flexibility we need for our manufacturing
operations, as well as for our future growth.  And we're close to Toyota's
manufacturing operations."
    ASC, a world leader in convertible system development and production, has
been a supplier to Toyota since before 1983, when the first Celica convertible
was introduced.  The Solara will be ASC's sixth convertible program with the
automaker.
    ASC will implement an optimized two-stage manufacturing process in the new
facility.  Two separate lines will handle all welding and trim, and a sub-
assembly station will be devoted to topstack assembly. ASC will receive the
body-in-white from Toyota's Cambridge, Ontario plant, which is about three
miles away.  ASC will add the structural components for the convertible, then
return it to Toyota.  There the car will be e-coated and painted, and have its
engine, drivetrain and front seats installed.  The vehicle returns to ASC for
final trim assembly and topstack installation, then back to the Toyota plant
for final inspection and shipping.
    The manufacturing space will be separated into body-in-white and final
trim and assembly stations.  "This manufacturing set-up allows us the
flexibility to accommodate expanded production levels to meet seasonal
demands," said Nechiporchik.
    ASC is a global specialty vehicle products manufacturer with four
operating activities:  Creative Services provides automotive design,
engineering and prototype services; Specialty Vehicles supplies the automotive
industry manufacturing expertise, development and production of specialty
vehicles; Engineered Systems manufactures and distributes open-air systems
(sunroofs and convertible tops) and composites (removable hardtops and molded
products) for OEM and aftermarket applications; and Aftermarket Products
engineers and develops vehicle accessories for the aftermarket.
    Headquartered in Southgate, Mich., ASC maintains operations throughout the
U.S. and Canada, and in Germany and Korea.