---

Behr to Invest $120 Million In North America

5 March 1999

Behr to Invest $120 Million In North America

    WALLED LAKE, Mich., March 4 -- Behr will invest in excess of
$120 million in a new technology center and production facilities to increase
its North American capacity, according to Horst Geidel, CEO of Behr GmbH & Co.
    "Behr is the leading European supplier of automotive air conditioning and
engine cooling systems.  In addition to reinforcing our position as the market
leader in the commercial vehicle sector, we will particularly focus on
increasing our global market share in the passenger car and light truck
sector," Geidel said.
    "North America plays a key role in this, and our goal is to develop our
North American business to exceed $500 million by 2003, which would represent
approximately 20% of the global sales of Behr.  We anticipate our sales
through Behr America to exceed $220 million in 1999," Geidel added.
    The new technical center will be located near the Detroit area according
to Hans Lange, president of Behr America.
    "This facility will be dedicated to product development for North American
car and light truck applications of vehicle air conditioning, heating and
powertrain cooling", he said.  "It will be an addition to the existing
development sites in Charleston, SC, Fort Worth, TX and Canton, SD."
    Referring to the technical center and new plants, Lange said, "Feasibility
studies are being conducted to determine the best locations.  The investments
will be a major prerequisite to reach the goal of 10% market share among North
American automobile manufacturers.  Behr's North American employment will
increase by approximately 50% from the current 1,000 associates."
    Technical innovations have helped Behr to evolve as a leading integrator,
supplying optimized system solutions rather than individual components.
    As the only automotive supplier exclusively specializing in automotive
heat transfer, Behr is uniquely positioned to optimize vehicular thermal
management.
    The Behr Group, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with operations in
eight countries, generated 2.9 billion DM in sales during 1998, employing a
total of 11,000 worldwide.
    Behr America, Inc. is the group's unit in North America with headquarters
in Charleston, SC, and currently three plants in Fort Worth, TX, Charleston,
SC, and Canton, SD.