Exide Maintains Alliance with Europe's Largest Trade Organisation
25 March 2004 - 12:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
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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