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Exide Corporation Announces Layoffs at Laureldale Plant

7 March 2000

Exide Corporation Announces Layoffs at Laureldale Plant

     READING, Pa., March 7 Exide Corporation
announced today it will lay off as many as 100 hourly and salaried workers at
its manufacturing plant in Laureldale, PA, as early as June 1, 2000.
    The workers at the plant manufacture aftermarket automotive batteries.
The reduction in force comes in the wake of abnormally warm weather and
reduced demand for automotive batteries.  Approximately 60 workers will remain
in the manufacturing operations at Laureldale.
    Alan C. Johnson, president and chief operating officer at Exide
Corporation, said, "Reduced demand for automotive batteries is an industry-
wide problem this year.  We will do all we can to transfer workers to other
operations at Laureldale, coordinate outplacement services for workers, and
rehire them if demand increases or if we begin other kinds of battery
manufacturing at the plant."
    Earlier this year, Exide laid off 58 workers from the same plant and has
since rehired approximately 15 of them to work in the company's smelting and
distribution operations at the same location.  More than 200 workers are
presently employed in those operations.
    Exide will provide the affected employees with outplacement assistance,
including short-notice vacation days for workers with employment interviews,
as well as resume preparation.  The Company will also conduct a "job fair" at
the plant with local manufacturers and contact the state job center to
identify other employment opportunities.
    Exide Corporation, with annual revenues of approximately $2.4 billion and
operations in 19 countries, is the world's largest manufacturer of automotive
and industrial lead-acid batteries.  Further information about Exide's
businesses and products is available at http://www.exideworld.com.