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Textron Automotive Company Steps Up Commitment to Marketing

9 November 1999

Textron Automotive Company Steps Up Commitment to Marketing

    TROY, Mich., Nov. 9 -- Textron Automotive Company (TAC) today
announced its plan to aggressively develop its marketing ability.  The company
has established a central marketing organization that will direct and
supervise the marketing planning and communications strategies for all five
TAC business divisions:  Textron Automotive Trim, Kautex, McCord Winn, CWC and
Micromatic.  As part of this alignment effort, TAC has named TRIO
Communications, Inc., a Michigan-based marketing and communications firm, as
its agency of record.  As agency of record, TRIO will help develop an
integrated marketing communications plan for Textron Automotive and will be
responsible for the design and production of all marketing communications
tactics for TAC business segments.
    A unique aspect of the agreement between TAC and TRIO is the appointment
of TRIO president Kirk Aubry as TAC's interim vice president of
marketing/communications.  Aubry will spearhead the design of TAC's marketing
organization and help it align its marketing planning processes while the
company searches for a permanent vice president of marketing/communications.
    "We want to continuously improve our ability to sense and respond to what
customers and consumers want in their vehicles.  In order to do that, TAC
needs to play the dual role of strategist and consultant to our customers,"
remarked Sam Licavoli, Textron Automotive Company chairman, president and CEO.
"We look to TRIO as our own strategist and consultant to help us truly
market -- to match our abilities and products to our customers' changing
priorities."
    With over $2.7 billion in annual revenues and manufacturing locations in
16 countries, Textron Automotive Company is a leading global supplier of
instrument panels, cockpit modules, exterior and interior trim, plastic fuel
tanks and automotive systems and components.  Globally recognized for
breakthrough proprietary technologies and quality, Textron Automotive Company
has received more than 50 awards for excellence from OEMs in North America,
Europe and Asia.
    Textron Inc. is an $11.5 billion, global, multi-industry
company with market-leading businesses in Aircraft, Automotive, Industrial and
Finance.  Textron has a workforce of over 65,000 employees and major
manufacturing facilities in 27 countries.  Textron is among Fortune magazine's
"Global Most Admired Companies."  Additional information is available at
http://www.textron.com