---

Panels Concentrate on Overseas Markets at SAE 2000 World Congress

11 February 2000

International Panels Concentrate on Overseas Markets at SAE 2000 World Congress

    WARRENDALE, Pa., Feb. 11 -- Three international panels will
scrutinize the automotive business in Hungary, Sweden and Mercosur at the SAE
2000 World Congress at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan, March 6-9, 2000.
    "How to Do Business in Hungary," scheduled for 1 p.m., Tuesday, March 7,
will spotlight eight participants from the Central European nation.  General
Motors, Suzuki, Ford Motor Company and Audi have all established large
manufacturing assembly plants in this nation of 10.5 million people.
    Historically, Hungary has been a truck and bus producer with a truck fleet
today of 80,000 vehicles.  The component sector represents 45 percent of
automotive-related manufacturing.  There are approximately 300 component
suppliers in Hungary employing 55,000 people.
    Panelists for the session include representatives of General Motors, DENSO
Manufacturing, Lear Automotive, Loranger Manufacturing USA, and Rona & Tarsai
Rt., as well as U.S. and Hungarian government officials.
    The Mercosur panel will be held on Wednesday, March 8 at 4:30 p.m.
Mercosur (The common market of the South) includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay
and Paraguay.  Mercosur is the third largest trade organization after NAFTA
and the European Union (EU) and includes countries with a combined population
of 225 million.
    Mercosur's passenger car fleet totals 21 million vehicles with
approximately 200,000 light commercial vehicles and 11,000 heavy trucks.
Participants in the Mercosur panel include Volkswagen Argentina, General
Motors, the Argentine automotive association and the U.S. Department of
Commerce.
    A panel of Swedish and U.S. automotive industry executives will be held on
Thursday, March 9 at 9 a.m.  Sweden has more motor vehicles per person than
most other European countries.  Two major vehicle manufacturing companies,
Scania and Volvo, are located in this country of 8.5 million.
    To register for SAE 2000 World Congress, visit the SAE website at
http://www.sae.org or call 1-877-SAECONG.