Hendrickson and Delphi Partner to Develop Composites For the Heavy Duty Truck Market DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE LOGO Delphi Automotive Systems Wordmark. (PRNewsFoto)[AG] TROY, MI USA 10/19/2000

4 January 2001
Hendrickson and Delphi Partner to Develop Composites For the Heavy Duty Truck Market DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE LOGO Delphi Automotive Systems Wordmark. (PRNewsFoto)[AG] TROY, MI USA 10/19/2000
            Two leaders in their respective industries join hands
       to bring innovative solutions to the commercial vehicle industry

    WOODRIDGE, Ill., Jan. 4 Hendrickson International and
Delphi Automotive Systems announced today a technology agreement
to develop and manufacture a composite bumper for the medium- and heavy-duty
truck and bus markets.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001019/DELPHIAS )
    Advanced composite materials, originally developed for the aerospace
industry, offer tremendous advantages to commercial vehicle manufacturers.
Composites are lighter than steel, aluminum or magnesium by up to 80 percent,
helping to provide improved fuel economy, lower emissions, and increased
payload capacity.  Composites can be designed to conduct 50 percent less
vibration than steel and to be more impact resistant.   These corrosion-
resistant composite materials could eliminate the need for painting while
offering more freedom to vehicle designers to develop unique styling and
aerodynamic features.
    "Composite technology holds great promise for the commercial vehicle
market," states Mark D. Schwabero, president and chief executive officer of
Hendrickson International.  "Hendrickson's long history of technological
innovation and product improvement in the commercial vehicle industry combined
with Delphi's advanced material and process knowledge will bring these
lightweight, durable, high performance composites to market at a very
competitive cost."
    A concept composite bumper, first unveiled by Hendrickson at the Great
American Trucking Show on November 16th in Dallas, Texas, was developed using
a hybrid glass and carbon fiber design weighing up to 70 pounds less than its
steel equivalent.  This concept targets potential applications in the medium-
and heavy-duty truck and bus (classes 5 - 8) markets.  The structural
composite bumper is stiffer than current plastic bumpers and requires less
mounting hardware, enough to support add-on items such as headlights, fog
lamps, collision avoidance sensors, sight-sticks or other devices.
Eliminating brackets will reduce the number of component parts, help shorten
assembly time, improve warranty and reduce maintenance costs for truck and bus
manufacturers and their customers.
    "Delphi has been researching and developing the use of composite materials
in a dedicated lab since the mid-1990's," stated Paul J. Tosch, president of
Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems and vice president of Delphi Automotive
Systems.  "By combining Delphi's material knowledge with Hendrickson's
application expertise, Hendrickson and Delphi will both have a unique
competitive advantage in their markets."
    Multi-national Delphi Automotive Systems, with headquarters in Troy,
Mich., USA, Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a world leader in mobile
electronics and transportation components and systems technology.  Delphi's
three business sectors -- Dynamics & Propulsion; Safety, Thermal & Electrical
Architecture; and Electronics & Mobile Communication -- provide comprehensive
product solutions to complex customer needs.  Delphi has approximately 216,000
employees and operates 179 wholly owned manufacturing sites, 41 joint
ventures, 53 customer centers and sales offices and 31 technical centers in 39
countries.  Delphi can be found on the Internet at http://www.delphiauto.com .
    Hendrickson International, with 24 facilities worldwide, is one of the
largest international suppliers of truck, tractor and trailer suspension
systems, lift axles, springs, bumpers and components to the commercial
transportation industry.   Headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois, Hendrickson
has been meeting the needs of the transportation industry for more than 70
years.  Information about Hendrickson can be found at the Hendrickson website
at http://www.hendrickson-intl.com .