BEHR AMERICA OPENS NEW HEADQUARTERS IN TROY

TROY, MI -- June 4, 2002 -- Behr America, Inc. officially opens its new $34-million North American headquarters and technical center here today, signaling a major expansion of the German automotive suppliers U.S. operations.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BEHR AMERICA OPENS NEW HEADQUARTERS IN TROY

   TROY, MI -- June 4, 2002 -- Behr America, Inc. officially opens its new $34-million North American headquarters and technical center here today, signaling a major expansion of the German automotive suppliers U.S. operations.

   Behrs new Troy complex houses an 80,000-square-foot headquarters building and extensive technical facilities for product development and testing on 8.5 acres at I-75 and Rochester Road. Construction also is underway on a state-of-the-art $15-million wind tunnel, which is scheduled to open in early 2004.

The new facility highlights the companys rapid growth in North America. Earlier this year, Behr acquired DaimlerChryslers Dayton Thermal Products plant in Dayton, OH, which will initially operate as a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler and Behr. Behr America is a unit of the German-based Behr Group, a leading supplier of automotive engine cooling and air conditioning systems.

With the Dayton acquisition, Behr has more than tripled its employee base to 3,000 and tripled its annual sales to $850 million, despite a slowing economy and a 50 percent decline in the North American heavy-truck market.

Behr America is investing more than $100 million in its U.S. plants and facilities, according to Hans Lange, president. The investments follow on the heels of previously announced investments in the companys Troy complex and its Webberville, MI, plant which opened in 1999.

Behr America also is upgrading its facilities in Charleston, South Carolina; Forth Worth, Texas, and Canton, South Dakota.

Behr is inviting its customers, business partners and employees to attend the all-day open house events, with ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m.

Lange will be host to an expected 250 guests at the grand opening program. Executives of the Behr Group from Stuttgart, Germany will take part, including Horst Geidel, chief executive officer, and Dr. Markus Flik, head of research and development. Guests will include Troy Mayor Matt Pryor and Martina Schlagwein of the Michigan Economic Development Commission (MEDC).

Behr Americas investments in new facilities and technology will enable the company to meet a growing demand for its products in North America, according to Geidel. Over the past three years, we have made major investments to better serve our automotive customers, including DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and Ford."

Behr America has been the market leader in its segment for heavy-duty trucks, Geidel noted, and its current North American expansion strategy is designed to capture a greater segment of the passenger-car and light-duty vehicle market as well.

New production capacity in Webberville and Dayton has enabled us to support high-volume production and win substantial new orders to supply HVAC and engine-cooling modules for our U.S. customers," Geidel added.

Behr America is an automotive supplier of engine cooling modules and components, Visco fan assemblies and air conditioning systems, with sales of $230 million in the 2001 fiscal year. The company has facilities in Troy and Webberville, Michigan; Charleston, South Carolina; Canton, South Dakota, and Fort Worth, Texas, with 1,000 employees.

With the acquisition of Dayton Thermal Products, Behr employs about 3,000 in the U.S. with projected sales of about $850 million.

Behr GmbH & Co. is a systems partner for the international automobile industry. Behr Groups 2001 sales totaled $2 billion. Including the Behr Dayton Thermal Products plant, Behr Group globally employs almost 16,000 at 25 production facilities in Europe, North and South America, South Africa and India generating sales in excess of $2.6 billion.

Additional information is available at www.behrgroup.com.

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Company Contact
Indira Sadikovic
Behr America Inc.
Phone: 248.743.3771
E-mail: indira.sadikovic@us.behrgroup.com

Media Contacts
Jack Harned
AutoCom Associates
Phone: 248.647.8621
E-mail: jharned@usautocom.com

Jan Krol
AutoCom Associates
Phone: 248.647.8621
E-mail: jkrol@usautocom.com