TROY, MI -- Behr America is making a major expansion in the North American market, including plans to nearly double the size of its North American headquarters in Troy, MI. The company will also add new business at its renovated Dayton Thermal Products plant in Ohio and build a major new production facility in Mexico.

In Troy, Behr is adding an $8.5-million, three-story, 69,000-square-foot office building, increasing the overall size of its four-year-old North American headquarters and technical center by more than 75 percent. It will be the second major expansion at the Troy location in the past three years.

Constructed on a recently acquired 2.3-acre site adjoining Behr America's current headquarters campus, the new building will provide space for nearly 270 Behr employees now working in rented facilities in the area and will allow for further engineering and program-management job growth over the next several years. The new facility is expected to open early next year.

"We've outgrown our Troy campus in less than four years," notes Mueller. "Our Michigan-based headquarters-and-technical staff has grown from less than 100 employees in 2002 to nearly 550 today. We expect even further growth to around 600 people within the next several years."

Behr's technical center in Troy is one of the world's most advanced testing facilities for vehicle thermal management. It includes a $15-million, high-technology climatic wind tunnel opened in 2004 that enables Behr researchers and product-development engineers to test air-conditioning and engine-cooling systems in all categories of cars and trucks with extreme precision under any climate or road condition. The facility also is used by other suppliers and automakers.

In Ohio, Behr Dayton Thermal Products is increasing its production capacity. The facility recently began manufacturing rear air-conditioning systems for several new General Motors products. Acquired in 2002 from DaimlerChrysler, Dayton is Behr's largest production plant in North America.

In northeast Mexico, Behr soon will break ground for a new production plant. Two sites currently are under consideration. The plant will produce engine-cooling modules and components and will provide additional capacity for Behr's business growth beyond 2007.

The facility in Mexico will be built in two stages, with the first 130,000-square-foot building scheduled for completion by the end of 2006 with an initial investment of $13 million. When phase one is completed, the plant is expected to employ 250 people with estimated annual sales of $110 million.

For additional company information about Behr, go to: www.behrgroup.com .

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