Exide Maintains Alliance with Europe's Largest Trade Organisation LAWRENCEVILLE, New Jersey, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Exide Technologies (OTC Bulletin Board: EXDTQ) ( www.exide.com ), a global leader in stored electrical-energy solutions, has renewed its supplier agreement with Autodistribution International Ltd. (ADI), the largest Auto Parts Distribution network in Europe. Through its 16 national partners, ADI represents more than 600 automotive wholesale businesses, with a network of some 2,000 wholesale outlets through 21 countries that serve a market of 192 million cars. Exide has had a relationship with ADI since the mid 1980s, when it began supplying the distribution network in France. According to the terms of the new, five year partnership agreement, the Exide Transportation Business Group is supplying a range of products to ADI, including automotive starting batteries in gel and the cylindrically-wound MAXXIMA-branded products. The batteries are marketed under the distinctive red and blue AD private label, along with the Exide, Fulmen and Tudor labels, which are three of Exide's foremost brands in Europe. "Autodistribution International sells more than two million batteries every year across Europe, and Exide is our main supplier, said Omer Wesemael, General Manager, Autodistribution International Ltd. "Exide provides top technology, research and development, and can assure a significant supply of batteries on a regular and reliable basis every year." Autodistribution International, established in 1970, is based in Brussels. All of its wholesale businesses locally stock and deliver to their professional customers a broad range of parts, products, tools or equipment that may be needed to keep cars and trucks safe and mobile at all times. "Exide has been able to sustain a strong relationship with ADI in part because of our superiority in product quality and service," said David G. Enstone, president of the Exide Technologies Transportation Business Group. "Our service offering is enhanced by our ability to meet our customer's demanding brand and logistics needs, while also promoting the sales of batteries." About Exide Technologies: Exide Technologies, with operations in 89 countries and fiscal 2003 net sales of approximately US$2.4 billion, is one of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. The company's two global business groups - industrial energy and transportation -- provide a comprehensive range of stored electrical energy products and services for industrial and transportation applications. Industrial uses include network power applications such as telecommunications systems, electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power related) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS); and motive-power applications for a broad range of equipment uses, including lift trucks, mining vehicles and commercial vehicles. Transportation applications include automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural and marine, as well as new technologies being developed for hybrid vehicles and new 42-volt automotive applications. The company supplies both aftermarket and original-equipment transportation customers. Further information about Exide Technologies, its financial results and other information can be found at www.exide.com . Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements as defined by the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. As such, they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results of the company to be materially different from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These are enumerated in further detail in the company's Form 10-K. MEDIA CONTACT: Jeannine Addams or Kristin Wohlleben Tarkenton & Addams, Inc. +1 404/231-1132 INVESTOR CONTACT: Doug Morris Gavin Anderson & Company +1 212/515-1962 DATASOURCE: Exide Technologies CONTACT: Media, Jeannine Addams or Kristin Wohlleben of Tarkenton & Addams, Inc., +1-404-231-1132; Investors, Doug Morris of Gavin Anderson & Company, +1-212-515-1962, FCMN Contact: kwohlleben@taradd.com, Web site: http://www.exide.com

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