Behr Celebrates ``Day One'' At Dayton Thermal Products.

Business & Automotive Editors

DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2002

Behr Dayton Thermal Products, formerly a DaimlerChrysler plant, opened today under new management with "Day One" ceremonies attended by state and local officials.

Behr America officially assumes operational responsibility for the plant, which employs more than 2,000 people. The Chrysler Group and Behr America signed an agreement on February 8 for the ultimate sale of Dayton Thermal Products to Behr. The Chrysler Group will maintain a minority interest for two years to assist in the transition.

"We look forward to becoming part of the Dayton community," said Hans Lange, president of Behr America. He noted that Behr America plans to invest more than $100 million to expand and modernize the Dayton Thermal Products facilities over the next three years.

Lange, Horst Geidel, CEO and chairman of the board of Behr Group and Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin were among those participating in the official opening of the Dayton facility. Others in attendance included City Commissioner Dean Lovelace; Interim City Manager John Thomas; President and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Phil Parker; Director of Economic Development for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Sara Dunnigan, and Director of Automotive Initiative for the Miami Valley Development Economic Coalition Marty Hohenberger.

"We welcome Behr to Dayton," said Mayor McLin. "Their commitment to develop new product lines and to invest in the plant's modernization should lead to the creation of a number of new jobs within the next three to five years."

With annual sales of about $600 million, Behr Dayton Thermal Products produces heating, ventilation and air-conditioning modules, evaporators, engine cooling modules, vapor canisters, PCV valves and related service parts. Its products currently are found on a variety of Chrysler Group models, including the Chrysler and Dodge Neon, Chrysler and Dodge minivans, the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Ram.

Mike Bindas, president of District 7 of the International Union of Electronic Workers-Communication Workers of America, which represents the plant's employees said that "Behr will be good for the plant. From what I've seen, this change is going to be beneficial to all of us."

Behr America, based in Troy, MI, and its parent company, Behr GmbH & Co. of Stuttgart, Germany, supply heating and cooling systems to most of the major automotive producers of the world.

Lange noted that Behr recently had completed agreements with Mercedes-Benz to supply cooling modules to be produced at the Dayton facility for 2004. Additional supply contracts currently are being negotiated with other U.S. companies. Dayton facility sales of $600 million will increase Behr Group's total sales of $2 billion in 2001 by 30 percent.

Behr America also has facilities in Charleston, S.C.; Canton, S.D.; Webberville, MI, and Fort Worth, TX.

Information on the company: Behr America's parent company, Behr GmbH & Co., of Stuttgart, Germany, is a system partner for the international automobile industry. A specialist for vehicle air-conditioning and engine cooling systems, the Behr Group is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of original equipment for passenger and commercial vehicles. Group sales in the 2001 business year amounted to more than $2 billion. Behr employs 15,700 in 25 production facilities in Europe, North and South America, South Africa and India. More information on the Behr Group is available on the Internet at http://www.behrgroup.com.