Gentex Enters Into Agreement to Purchase Electronics Manufacturing Plant

ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - November 23, 2010) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX), the Zeeland, Michigan-based manufacturer of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and camera-based active-safety systems for the automotive industry, commercial fire protection products and dimmable aircraft windows, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase an existing, 108,000-square-foot electronics manufacturing facility at 11768 James Street in Holland, Michigan. The facility is approximately three miles from the Company's headquarters and other automotive manufacturing facilities in Zeeland, Michigan. 

"Our product mix has become increasingly more complex with our new technologies, and the number of manufacturing lines and jobs are increasing," said Gentex Senior Vice President Enoch Jen. "The recovery of the automotive industry has been faster than expected, so there is less room for flexibility. We are large enough now that a 20 percent increase in production means a new facility as opposed to simply adding a shift like we formerly were able to do."

Jen said that the Company is pleased that it found an existing, cost-effective local facility that was previously used to manufacture electronic components, resulting in fewer required renovations. The building previously was occupied by Invensys Controls, an electronics company that provides controls for home appliance manufacturers.

"Placing Gentex equipment and employees in that building will bring new life to that facility, and we're happy that we can continue to offer more jobs in the Zeeland/Holland areas." 

Gentex currently is seeking to fill approximately 140 manufacturing positions and nearly 100 engineering and software positions companywide in Zeeland and Holland, Michigan. Interested parties should either apply online or attend the Company's next job fair on December 8 at the Doubletree Hotel in Holland, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.gentex.com/careers.

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) is the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and camera-based active safety systems to the global automotive industry. The Company also provides smoke alarms and signaling devices to the North American fire protection market, as well as dimmable aircraft windows for the commercial, business and general aviation markets. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, the international Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. More than half of the Company's interior mirrors are sold with advanced electronic features, and more than 97 percent of the Company's revenues are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major automaker in the world.

Contact Information:

CONTACT:
Connie Hamblin
616-772-1800