MERIDIAN ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF "CONSUMER & INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS" BUSINESS UNIT

October 1, 2005 - Meridian Automotive Systems announced today the formation of a "Consumer & Industrial Products" (CIP) business unit to support and expand its composites business with agriculture, recreation, sanitaryware, consumer-product, and marine customers. Concurrently, Meridian's Exterior Composites Group (ECG) has been renamed as Meridian Composite Products (MCP), to more accurately reflect the breadth of their capabilities and applications.

Steve McKenzie, Meridian's Chief Operating Officer, stated "In the past, Meridian has produced a variety of composite products for consumer and industrial markets, including personal-watercraft hulls and covers, residential doors, office furniture, tractor covers, and utility boxes. At present, we manufacture SMC shower-pans, GMT air-conditioner bases, BMC sewing-machine housings, and D-LFT golf-cart floors. Going forward, the formation of the Consumer & Industrial Products group will provide greater resources and focus for markets that fit well with Meridian's composite capabilities and technologies."

The Consumer & Industrial Products group will be led by Terrell Edmunds, CIP Director of Manufacturing. It will be based out of Meridian's Lenoir, NC operations, with additional sales and engineering support to be directed by Dan Dowdall, IBU VP, from Meridian's Dearborn Technical Center.