Exide Technologies to Invest $21 Million to Meet Increasing Demand For Sealed Industrial Batteries in North America

14 December 2000
Exide Technologies to Invest $21 Million to Meet Increasing Demand For Sealed Industrial Batteries in North America
    PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 14 Exide Technologies
announced today plans to invest $21 million in reopening and upgrading the
Maple, Ontario manufacturing facility in order to meet growing demand for GNB
Industrial ABSOLYTE(R) and Champion(R) sealed technology industrial batteries.
    Mitch Bregman, President of the GNB Industrial Power Global Business Unit
of Exide Technologies, said, "We are pleased that customer demand for our high
quality sealed technology industrial batteries in North America warrants
establishing industrial production at Maple.  The dedication, customer focus
and commitment to quality of the highly trained workforce were major factors
in our choice of the Maple site."
    The total investment over the next 12 months is expected to be $21 million
with the initial production planned to begin April 1 and full production by
October 1, 2001.  The company is planning to manufacture the ABSOLYTE and
Champion sealed technology industrial batteries for both network and motive
power applications in North America and Europe.
    ABSOLYTE, the leading brand of sealed technology industrial batteries in
the world, is recognized globally as a premium technology solution for the
Network Power market which is continuing to grow at double digit rates.
ABSOLYTE is the first choice for back-up solutions in today's Internet and
Wireless driven voice, data, and multimedia networks.
    The Champion brand sealed industrial battery is the flagship motive power
product for GNB Industrial Power and it is the fastest growing brand in the
motive power market.  With this increased capacity, GNB Industrial Power will
be well suited to meet the ever-increasing demand for this premier product.
    Exide Technologies is the global leader in providing electrical energy
storage solutions to transportation and industrial customers worldwide.  The
company is expected to have annual revenues of approximately $3.2 billion and
has operations in 89 countries, serving the industrial and transportation
market.
    Industrial applications include network power batteries for
telecommunications systems, fuel cell load leveling, electric utilities,
railroads, photovoltaic and other uninterruptible power supply markets, and
motive power batteries for a broad range of equipment uses, including lift
trucks, mining and other commercial vehicles.
    Transportation applications include automotive, heavy-duty truck,
agricultural, marine and other batteries, as well as new technologies being
developed for hybrid vehicles and new 42-volt automobile applications.  The
company supplies both the aftermarket and original equipment transportation
markets.
    Champion is a registered trademark of Federal Mogul Corporation.
    Further information on Exide Technologies, its financial results and other
recent events can be found on the Internet at http://www.exideworld.com.