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Minnesota Power Extends Its Line of Automotive Services

4 October 1999

Minnesota Power Extends Its Line of Automotive Services With Acquisition Of AutoVIN

    DULUTH, Minn., Oct. 4 -- MP Automotive Services, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Minnesota Power, Inc. , announced today that it
has acquired AutoVIN, the Automated Vehicle Information Network.
    AutoVIN provides professional field information services to the automotive
industry, including vehicle condition reporting, inventory verification
auditing, program compliance auditing and facility inspection.  AutoVIN has
been providing services to Automotive Finance Corporation (AFC), an MP
Automotive Services business based in Indianapolis.  AutoVIN will now work
closely with AFC to offer auto dealers one-stop shopping for financial and
information services.
    "Bringing AutoVIN into the MP Auto Services group gives us opportunities
to leverage existing relationships through complementary services and
capabilities," said AFC President John Fuller.
    "Timely, accurate vehicle inspection and inventory information is critical
to financial institutions, manufacturers and automotive remarketers," said
J. D. Grogan, president of AutoVIN.  "We have fine-tuned our suite of
information and field services to meet the growing demand for higher levels of
customer focus and technology utilization."
    MP Auto Services includes ADESA, one of the largest vehicle remarketing
networks in North America with 29 wholesale automobile auctions; AFC, with
more than 80 offices across North America, a leading provider of inventory
financing for wholesale and retail auto dealers who purchase vehicles at
auction; Professional Auto Remarketing (PAR) which sells vehicles and provides
other value-added services through a nationwide network of auctions; and Great
Rigs, Inc., one of the nation's largest independent transport carriers of used
automobiles.
    Minnesota Power, Inc. is a diversified services company with corporate
headquarters in Duluth, Minn.  In addition to automotive services, Minnesota
Power holdings include a low-cost electric utility that serves some of largest
industrial loads in the United States; the largest private water utilities in
Florida and North Carolina; and significant real estate holdings in Florida.