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Thyssen Systems Announces the Creation of a New Legal Entity

12 October 1999

Thyssen Production Systems Announces the Creation of a New Legal Entity -- Gilman Engineering & Manufacturing Co. LLC

    JANESVILLE, Wis., Oct. 8 -- As of September 24, 1999, Gilman
Engineering & Manufacturing Co. LLC, formerly Gilman -- a division of Giddings
& Lewis -- has been formed into a new business unit within the Johann A.
Krause organization. The development of this new entity reflects the next step
in the realignment of the global assembly businesses within the Thyssen
Production Systems organization. The new name, Gilman Engineering &
Manufacturing Co. LLC, clearly identifies and recognizes the value that the
company brings its customers, namely the assembly industry's best engineering
and manufacturing people and their skills. Together, Gilman and Krause offer
manufacturers with assembly needs access to the best global practices to meet
their requirements now and in the future regardless of geographic location.
    In 1936, George Gilman founded Gilman Engineering Works in Janesville,
Wis. The name was changed in 1941 to Gilman Engineering and Manufacturing to
reflect the total capabilities of the company. The company was known by this
name until 1982 when AMCA International acquired the parent company, Giddings
& Lewis. After this acquisition the company's name was changed several times.
Some of the names were, Gilman Assembly Automation, Giddings & Lewis
Integrated Automation, Giddings & Lewis Assembly Automation and most recently,
Gilman, a Division of Giddings & Lewis, Inc. Throughout the entire period
Gilman's focus remained on designing and building custom assembly solutions.
    Headquartered in Janesville, Wis., Gilman Engineering & Manufacturing Co.
LLC, a member of the Johann A. Krause Group, offers assembly solutions for the
automotive, appliance, commercial and industrial markets. From its
headquarters in Bremen, Germany, and its North American center in Auburn
Hills, Mich., Johann A. Krause Maschinenfabrik GmbH offers complete aggregate
assembly systems and test systems for engines, transmissions and axles.
Thyssen Production Systems, headquartered in Essen, Germany, focuses its
international activities on development, production and service, with the main
emphasis on metalcutting machine tools, automated assembly, and production
systems for autobody manufacturing.