Carlyle Management Group Completes Acquisition of Breed Technologies, Inc.

DALLAS, Texas - Carlyle Management Group (“CMG”) today announced that its affiliate, Key Automotive Group, L.L.C., has completed the acquisition of Lakeland, Fla.-based Breed Technologies, Inc., a leading automotive safety supplier. The announcement was made by B. Edward Ewing, CEO of CMG.

“We are pleased to add Breed Technologies to the Key Automotive Group family,” said Ewing, who will also take over the role of Chairman and CEO of Breed. “This acquisition reflects our long-term commitment to the global automotive industry and is an important next step in the growth and continued development of the Key Automotive Group.”

“Breed has excellent technologies and products. Under the Key Automotive Group banner we will implement the financial and operational discipline needed to ensure that Breed remains an innovative, cost-competitive and financially-stable supplier of automotive safety systems to our customers around the world. Our vision is to achieve the objective that our employees, customers and shareholders say we are a great company.”

Breed will be an affiliate of CMG’s Key Automotive Group L.L.C., which also includes Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Key Plastics L.L.C. CMG formed Key Automotive Group in 2002 to hold its investments in various independent automotive acquisitions.

With the Breed acquisition, Key Automotive Group will grow to more than $1.7 billion in sales and 18,000 employees. Operations will expand to 15 countries in North America, Europe and Asia and in 10 states in the United States.

Founded in 1987, Breed is one of the automotive industry’s safety leaders. With over $1 billion in sales, Breed is a leading designer and manufacturer of automotive occupant safety systems, including airbags, seatbelts and steering wheels.

Breed’s products are used in more than 300 vehicle models produced by over 45 automobile manufacturers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Breed’s customers include General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Co., Fiat, Hyundai, PSA, Volkswagen and many others. Breed’s global reach consists of 32 manufacturing, technical and sales facilities located in 12 countries. The company has operations in seven states in the U.S.

Based in Dallas, Texas, CMG is the turnaround and special situation investment affiliate of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm with over $15.8 billion of committed capital under management.

###