National Press Release

Plant Consolidation Due to Continued Slow Down in Automotive Industry

RIVERSIDE, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Bourns, Inc. announced today that due to the on-going slow down in the automotive industry, the Bourns Automotive Division is consolidating its manufacturing operations worldwide and will close its Janesville, Wisconsin plant in approximately 12 to 18 months. The plant manufactures sensor components for automotive customers on three continents. It also hosts the North American engineering and research and development activities for the Bourns Automotive Division. The actions taken by Bourns to close the Janesville plant will not affect its other non-automotive product lines based outside of Wisconsin.

The Bourns Janesville plant employs 148 workers and the company will transfer the plant's production to other Bourns automotive facilities in Mexico and Hungary while working closely with its customers and employees. Bourns North American engineering and research and development activities will be transferred to a Bourns facility in Michigan.

"We are facing the reality that our customers expect us to provide the highest quality products at ever lower prices," said Jeff Pyle, vice president and general manager of the Bourns Automotive Division. "Bourns' automotive business has excess costs and manufacturing space which need to be addressed. While we are confident that the automotive industry will prosper over the longer term, we must restructure our automotive business now to reflect current realities."

Bourns purchased the Janesville plant in June 2006 as part of its acquisition of the automotive business at SSI Technologies. Since the acquisition, the Janesville facility has served as the North American headquarters of the Bourns Automotive Division.

About Bourns

Bourns, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of automotive sensors, circuit protection solutions, magnetic products, microelectronic modules, precision potentiometers, panel controls and encoders and resistive products. Headquartered in Riverside, California, Bourns serves a broad range of markets, including telecommunications, computer, industrial, instrumentation, automotive, consumer, non-critical life support medical, audio and various other market segments. Bourns products are manufactured according to ISO-9000 standards under Six Sigma quality programs. Additional company and product information is available at the company's website at www.bourns.com.

Bourns(R) and the Bourns logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bourns, Inc. and may be used publicly only with the permission of Bourns and require proper acknowledgement. Other listed names and brands are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

    Agency Contact:
    Annette Keller
    Keller Communication
    (949) 640-4811
    annettekeller@sbcglobal.net

    Company Contact:
    Mikelyn Bridges
    Bourns, Inc.
    (951) 781-5397
    mike.bridges@bourns.com

SOURCE Bourns, Inc.