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Exide Introduces Global Business Units, and Senior Management Reorganization

10 April 2000

Exide Introduces Global Business Units, and Senior Management Reorganization

     READING, Pa., April 10 Exide Corporation , a
global leader in the lead-acid battery business and electric-energy-storage
solutions, today announced its customer-focused reorganization into Global
Business Units and the resignation of Alan C. Johnson as President and Chief
Operating officer.
     Following a year of development, Exide has implemented a change from a
geographical to a global business structure. Global Business Units will
organize work by customer type rather than geography, and will allow Exide to
more effectively service worldwide customer requirements.
    Exide's new structure and strategy focuses on improving its operating
performance and profitability by building on competitive strengths, including:
advanced technological capabilities, low-cost and high-quality manufacturing,
market leadership, brand recognition, customer diversity and product range and
global logistics capabilities.

    Exide's Global Business Units are:
    1. Emerging Technologies (system type electric storage solutions and new
        technologies including innovative spiral wound and dual graphite)
    2. Transportation: Original Equipment  (including batteries for cars,
        trucks, off-road vehicles, agricultural and construction vehicles,
        motorcycles, recreational boats and other similar applications)
    3. Transportation: Aftermarket (automotive batteries for aftermarket
        channels)
    4. Military: (lead-acid and advanced batteries for the U.S., NATO, etc.)
    5. Standby (back-up power applications including stationary energy storage
        and tele-communications)
    6. Motive Power (forklifts, electric vehicles and material handling
        equipment)

    Executive vice presidents will head the Global Business Units: Neil
Bright, Ronald Gardhouse, Dr. Albrecht Leuschner, Bo Lindvall, and David
Smith.  Santiago Ramirez will continue in his capacity as Chairman of Exide
Holding Europe and will provide support to the Global Business Units.
    Robert A. Lutz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Exide, said, "This
restructuring brings Exide a culture that is empowered, accountable, more
nimble and more aggressive on a global basis. Our Global Business Units will
have profit and loss responsibility for their industry segments, without
national borders, while benefiting from shared staff services.
    "Refocusing on the customer through the establishment of global business
units will have the same effect on Exide as reorganizing Chrysler Corporation
into platform teams had on the revitalization of that firm."  (Lutz was the
architect of the reorganization at Chrysler.)
    In addition to forming the global business units, the company announced
the resignation of Alan C. Johnson as president and chief operating officer.
    "Alan is returning to former employer Federal-Mogul, where he will assume
considerably expanded duties and responsibilities." Lutz said.
    The company said that in view of its strong Global Business Unit
management team, as well as other planned management additions, Lutz would
assume the duties of president and chief operating officer on an interim
basis.

    Exide Corporation, with annual revenues of approximately $2.4 billion and
operations in 23 countries, is the world's largest manufacturer of automotive
and industrial lead-acid batteries and a leader in electric storage solutions.
Further information about Exide's businesses and products is available at
http://www.exideworld.com.