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Budd Tallent Celebrates Grand Opening of $50 Million Plant

21 May 1999

Budd Tallent Celebrates Grand Opening of $50 Million Plant

    HOPKINSVILLE, Ky., May 20 -- The Budd Company of Troy, Mich.
and Tallent Engineering Ltd., of Newton Aycliffe, England today celebrated the
grand opening of their newly completed $50 million Hopkinsville automotive
components plant.  When in full production, the plant will employ 250 people
and contribute more than $141 million a year into the local community.
    The Budd Company and Tallent Engineering officials joined Kentucky
Governor Paul E. Patton and Hopkinsville business and civic leaders at opening
ceremonies for the 235,000 square foot plant.
    "We selected Hopkinsville because of its progressive attitude, the quality
and courtesies of the people we met, the prospects we saw for productivity and
the overall positive business environment in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,"
said Siegfried Buschmann, Vice Chairman, Thyssen Krupp Automotive GmbH and
Chairman and CEO of The Budd Company.
    "We will work hard to become an admired employer and a valuable member of
the community," added Buschmann.
    The Budd Company has a solid history of investment in the Kentucky region.
It began its investment in this area in 1986 with a $100 million plant in
Shelbyville, Ky., which produces steel body stampings and assemblies for the
automotive industry.  Total investments in the Shelbyville operation are now
at $226 million.  The initial investment in the Hopkinsville plant will push
the Company's total investment in Kentucky to more than $276 million.
    "Kentucky values corporate citizens like The Budd Company and Tallent, and
we're pleased that we're competing in the global market with the location of
this plant in a community that reflects our productive workforce and great
quality of life," said Governor Paul Patton.
    "I'm especially proud of these two companies," said Bernard Robinson,
Managing Director of Tallent Engineering.  "We have created a global presence
here in Hopkinsville."
    The Hopkinsville plant will produce automotive chassis components and
suspension assemblies for automotive customers with plants in Michigan,
Missouri, South Carolina, and Mexico, as well as The Budd Company plant in
Shelbyville, Ky.  Those parts will be used on vehicles produced by both North
American and European manufacturers.
    The new plant employs the resources of two ThyssenKrupp Automotive
companies: The Budd Company and Tallent Engineering, Ltd.  The Hopkinsville
plant is the Company's first facility to combine its North American and
European operations.
    ThyssenKrupp Automotive is a $6 billion company based in Bochum, Germany,
with 37,000 employees and more than 100 locations worldwide.  The company
specializes in body systems, chassis modules, powertrain and suspension
components and systems.