Tricon Industries, Inc. launches European operations

DETROIT, March 5, 2001 – Lisle, Ill.-based Tricon Industries, Inc. is initiating an expansion of their manufacturing and engineering skills into Europe through a strategic alliance with a European-based company. This enables Tricon to improve delivery logistics and service quality for customers in Europe.

"Our European operations will allow us to tailor our efforts to the specific needs of local markets," said Tricon President Ralph Grandle. "This alliance provides us with additional capacity, enabling us to bring our products to the European market much faster without negatively impacting costs."

"We foresee this alliance providing many benefits to our customers," said Pat Grandle, Tricon vice president - sales and marketing. "Coordinated sales and engineering efforts will be available for programs with multiple country involvement. Additionally, local content raw materials will be facilitated for pricing and manufacturing options."

"Teaming up with an established European partner provides us access to a company familiar with the intricacies of local markets, while we provide industry-leading technical expertise," said Ralph Grandle.

Tricon Industries, Inc. specializes in insert molding and specialized components for worldwide automotive, mobile communications and appliance markets. Tricon was one of the first in the industry to use insert-molding techniques for the manufacture of switch and relay components as well as other electrically-oriented parts.

Some of Tricon's recent projects include complex insert molded junction blocks and multifunction switch components, sealed bulb tail light sockets and circuit stampings, single-bulb light sockets, alternators and encapsulated components, mobile antenna assemblies. Today, Tricon is a QS-9000/ISO 9001-registered manufacturer with comprehensive design, project management and manufacturing capabilities that can be tailored to specific project requirements.