Dana Corporation Expanding Elizabethtown, Ky., Structural Products Facility to Accommodate Customer Programs

18 October 2000
Dana Corporation Expanding Elizabethtown, Ky., Structural Products Facility to Accommodate Customer Programs
    TOLEDO, Ohio, Oct. 18 Dana Corporation's Structural
Products Group announced today that it expects the construction of a new
Hydroform Building and expansion of the current facility at its Elizabethtown,
Ky., plant to be completed by mid-2001.
    The new building will add 156,000 square feet needed to manufacture
hydroformed components which will be assembled into full frames for future
models of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.  Elizabethtown currently
builds frames for Ford Motor Company's F-150 pick-up truck, which includes the
Supercrew Cab and Harley Davidson versions, the Lincoln Blackwood, as well as
the current Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.
    A new electrocoating process for painting the frames will be located in a
115,000-square-foot expansion to the current facility.  The equipment in the
new Hydroform Building will include two 10,000-ton RoboClamps(TM), which are
patented state-of-the-art hydroforming machines, and a 16,000-ton hydroform
press.  In addition, the building will have a 42-ton crane capacity, four
shipping docks, an underground scrap removal system, and automated processing.
    "We must continue to expand our capabilities and implement the latest
technologies to meet our customer's expectations and the challenges of today's
global marketplace," said Mike Greene, president of Dana's Structural Products
Group.  "This investment in the Elizabethtown facility demonstrates that
commitment and positions us well for the future."
    Added Elizabethtown Plant Manager Keith Auville, "We believe our success
is a product of the continued efforts of all of the team members at the
facility and the support of the local community."
    Dana's Automotive Systems Group provides under-the-vehicle technologies
and integrated modules and systems to customers anywhere in the world.  The
Automotive Systems Group encompasses advanced innovations in driveline systems
including Spicer(R) axles and driveshafts, Parish(R) structures and
technologies in chassis systems sub-structures incorporating engine and axle
cradles, Nakata(R) steering and suspensions, FTE(R) automotive brake and
clutch systems, and a systems engineering integration and logistics unit.
    Dana Corporation is one of the world's largest suppliers to
vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets.  Founded in 1904 and
based in Toledo, Ohio, the company operates approximately 320 major facilities
in 32 countries and employs more than 80,000 people.  The company reported
sales of $13.2 billion in 1999.  Dana's Internet address is http://www.dana.com .