Worms (Germany), May 23, 2003 - After a seven-month construction period Seeber Systemtechnik KG has started to use its new production hall and thus significantly expanded the company's production capacities. The new facility guarantees that the automotive industry's high customer expectations will be satisfied for years to come.

At the 3,000 square meter large and 15 meters high production facility, underbody coverings and microfilter housings for the new BMW 5 series as well as doorframe panelings for the Ford Minivan will be mass-manufactured. The hall, which cost 3.8 million Euro including silos and a granulate drying installation, access to compressed air and electricity, will successively be equipped with state-of-the-art production machinery. Four production machines were already installed: two 1,000 ton injection moulding machines and one 400 ton injection moulding machine, as well as a Seeber-lite facility based on proprietary company designs.

The new hall, in which during the next few months three more injection moulding machines will be set up, is equipped with a 50 ton crane for the handling of heavy production tools. The hall's foundation, which was built one meter thick due to the Seeber facility's proximity to the river Rhine, possesses considerable advantages. If machines need to be relocated because of altered production sequences, no single base plates are required, which ensures an enormous amount of flexibility. The hall can also be expanded to the south.

The standard machinery, as well the property and the production hall, were leased. 40 employees, who where previously entrusted with the production of expiring autobile models, such as the Opel Vectra, are now working a three- to four-shift schedule at the new production facility.

The Facts

Investment 4,25 million Euro

Machinery Two 1,000 ton and one 400 ton injection moulding machines (manufacturer: Engel),

one Seeberlite facility (manufacturer: Heidel) including a jet cutting installation (ABB), two foaming facilities (manufacturer: EDF) / friction welding facilities

Construction period April 2002 until the end of 2002 (completion of demolition work on the old production hall on April 14, 2002; December 21, 2002 ceremonial commissioning); beginning of pre-series production in spring 2003.

Product range underbody coverings, microfilter housings and doorframe panelings

Customers BMW, Ford, DaimlerChrysler