---

Gentex Opens Sales Office in France

7 May 2000

Manufacturer Looks to Europe for Greatest Growth

    ZEELAND, Mich. - Gentex Corporation, the Zeeland, Michigan-based 
manufacturer of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and commercial fire 
protection products, has opened a new automotive sales and engineering office 
in Paris, France.

    Gentex pioneered Night Vision Safety(TM)(NVS(R)) Mirrors, which
automatically darken to reduce glare from the headlamps of vehicles
approaching from the rear.  The brighter the glare, the darker the mirrors
become, making nighttime driving safer.

    The newly formed Gentex France S.A.S. will house sales and engineering
operations designed to serve the Company's automotive customers in France and
throughout Europe.  Henri Bornholt, an automotive industry veteran with over
25 years of automotive sales and engineering experience, has been appointed
president of Gentex France and will manage the day-to-day operations of the
office.  Over the course of Bornholt's career, he has held positions with
Siemens AG, The Echlin Group, Eaton Corporation and, most recently, Britax
International.

    "France holds great potential for our automatic-dimming mirrors and
related electronic features, and we believe that opening a French office is
the best way to provide localized customer service and support," said Ken La
Grand, Gentex's executive vice president.

    Gentex continues to experience strong growth in Europe.  Approximately 25
percent of the Company's revenues come from customers in Europe.  According to
La Grand, he sees the greatest growth coming from the Company's automatic-
dimming rearview mirror products with advanced electronic features, such as
compass and temperature displays, remote keyless entry receivers, and light-
emitting diode map lamps.

    Gentex Corporation is an international company that provides high-quality
products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire
protection market.  The Company develops, manufactures and markets proprietary
electro-optic products, including interior and exterior electrochromic,
automatic-dimming Night Vision Safety(TM)(NVS(R)) automotive rearview mirrors
that dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle
headlamps, and an extensive line of fire protection products for commercial
applications.

    Gentex was the first company in the world to successfully develop and
produce a commercial electrochromic mirror for the motor vehicle industry.
The Company is the leading supplier of these mirrors to the worldwide
automotive industry.  Gentex OEM customers include Audi, Bentley, BMW, Daewoo,
DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors,
Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Porsche, Rolls Royce and Toyota.  Gentex
aftermarket/distributor customers include Gulf States Toyota Distributors,
Mito Corporation, Southeast Toyota Distributors, Subaru Distributors NE and
Toyota Motor Sales USA.

    Founded in 1974, Gentex operates out of four facilities in Zeeland,
Michigan; an automotive sales office in Livonia, Michigan; automotive sales
and engineering subsidiaries in Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom; and
four regional U.S. sales offices for the Fire Protection Products Group.  The
Company is recognized for its quality products, its application of world class
manufacturing principles, for its commitment to developing and maintaining a
highly skilled workforce, and for encouraging employee ownership of the
Company's stock.