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March 12, 2003
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This Week:

• Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG celebrates premiere as new Formula One Safety Car

• GM Is First Automaker Approved To Drive A Liquid Hydrogen Vehicle On Japanese Roads

• BMW GROUP Sales February 2003: Outlook for the year remains positive

• DaimlerChrysler initiates "F-Cell" tests in Japan

• Peter Schwarzenbauer to be new President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America

• Ford Announces 100th Anniversary Celebration Plans

• Team Bentley returns to racing in the USA after 81 years

• Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America Outsource Vehicle Logistics Operation

• Toyota Announces Strong February Sales

• GM Service And Parts Operations, ProLogis And Aurora EDC Partnership Results In New Parts Distribution Center In Colorado

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GM Service And Parts Operations, ProLogis And Aurora EDC Partnership Results In New Parts Distribution Center In Colorado
 

Denver - General Motors Service and Parts Operations (GM SPO) has selected ProLogis Park 70 in Aurora as the location of a new Parts Distribution Center (PDC). "This new PDC is an important part of SPO's strategy to provide world-class service to GM dealers by realigning the distribution network with less automated facilities," said Charlie Hyndman, SPO director of Warehousing and Distribution for U.S. Operations. "These facilities feature lean and common processes that achieve significant improvements in competitiveness." This new 404,000 square foot facility will handle automotive replacement part shipments to more than 225 GM dealerships in approximately 12 states. ProLogis will develop the new PDC and construction will begin immediately.

Hyndman said that several factors influenced the decision to locate the new facility in the metro area. "The cooperative work between the leadership of UAW Local 431 and Denver PDC management helped develop GM's business case with local, state and federal agencies," he explained. "We're also very sensitive to the impact on employees, their families and the community whenever we implement new business strategies to improve service to GM dealers."

Ray Culbert, GM Manager of Forward Planning, said they were impressed with the city of Aurora and the development strength of ProLogis. "In making our decision, we factored in a highly qualified labor market, quality of life issues, transportation factors and, in the end, ProLogis and the city of Aurora provided us with an image and an environment that exceeded our expectations," he said. "I give credit to the city of Aurora, and special thanks to Aurora Mayor Paul Tauer and Aurora City Councilman Ed Tauer for their professionalism and tireless efforts to make this project a reality."

Aurora Economic Development Council President Wendy Mitchell said the project is a real win for the community. "This is a ground breaking development in many respects. To have this type of project and this caliber of company select Aurora as a regional hub speaks volumes for the cooperation of all parties involved and for the reputation the city has earned, based upon its infrastructure and diversification of its business and housing markets," she said.

The facility will be the first developed at ProLogis Park 70, a 182-acre distribution park located at the intersection of I-70 and E-470. The park's location provides convenient interstate access to reach the Central United States, including the Rocky Mountain and plain-states. ProLogis plans to develop more than 2.9 million square feet of distribution space including the GM facility.

GM SPO has opened several new PDCs around the country since 1999 -- Chicago; Philadelphia; in the Fort Worth, Texas area; Cincinnati; Columbus, Ohio; Los Angeles (two), and Memphis, Tennessee. They also partnered with ProLogis in Charlotte, North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi; and Martinsburg, West Virginia; to erect new PDC's. Construction of a new facility in the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., area has been completed and is fully operational. November marked the ground breaking for a new PDC in Reno, also developed by ProLogis, which is expected to be shipping to customers in the spring of 2003.

(March 10, 2003)