Aluminum Engine Components Company Established in North America (February 13, 2004)

Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (President: Mr. Kanshiro Toyoda; headquarters: Kariya-city, Aichi, Japan) established a new company to produce aluminum engine components, including pumps and pistons, in Clinton, Tennessee in the United States. The new company, Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee, Inc. (AACT) will start operations in August 2005.
Aisin Automotive Casting, LLC, or AAC (President: Mr. Kenji Tsujimura; headquarters: London, Kentucky, U.S.A.), manufactures aluminum parts for the North American market. In order to respond to expanding local production of Toyota and other customers, the new production base was established in a location about a 90-minutes south from AAC. AACT and AAC will work together to expand their business.
With the establishment of AACT, the production system will be restructured to reinforce production capability and improve efficiency. AAC will specialize in aluminum casting, including manufacturing large casting parts and molds, while AACT will operate a full-process die-casting facility that includes casting, machining and assembly to produce aluminum engine components, such as pumps and pistons.
To achieve the overall goal of becoming a global supplier, Aisin Seiki, along with the other AISIN Group companies, strives to move ahead with the establishment of overseas production bases best suited to the characteristics of each major region and the construction of an efficient production structure.

  [Company profile]

1.Company name:	Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee, Inc. (AACT)
2.Foundation:	January 23, 2004
3.Location:	Clinton, Tennessee, U.S.A. (120 kilometers south of AAC)
4.Capital investment:	US $30.9 million
5.Controlling Sharest:	100% by Aisin Holdings of America, Inc.
6.President:	Kenji Tsujimura (also serves as President of Aisin Automotive Casting, LLC)
7.Area:	Land-170,000 square meters Buildings-21,100 square meters
8.Business:	Casting, machining, and assembly of aluminum engine components such as pumps and pistons
9.Start of production:	August 2005
10.Sales volume:	US $8 million (projected for 2005) US $140 million (projected for 2008)
11.Employees:	90 (projected for 2005), 400 (projected for 2008)
12.Investment:	US $67.6 million including land, buildings, and facilities (initial investment)
13.Others:	16th manufacturing company of the AISIN Group in North America