EXCEL INDUSTRIES INC
SC 13G, 1995-02-15
MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS & ACCESSORIES
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                           (Amendment No. __________)*


                              EXCEL INDUSTRIES INC.                             
                                (Name of Issuer)


                           Common stock, no par value                           
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                     30065710         
                                 (CUSIP NUMBER)



Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement |x|.  (A fee
is not required only if the filing person:  (1) has a previous statement on
file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.) 
(See Rule 13d-7).

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).
<PAGE>
CUSIP NO.  30065710                    13G                    Page 2 of 8 Pages 


1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

     B.A.T Industries p.l.c.

2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

     (a)  |_|

     (b)  |_|

3.   SEC USE ONLY


4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     England

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

     5.   SOLE VOTING POWER

          -0-

     6.   SHARED VOTING POWER

          912,600

     7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

          -0-

     8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

          912,600

9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          916,600

10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

     N.A.

11.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     8.50%

12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

     HC
<PAGE>
CUSIP NO.  30065710                    13G                    Page 3 of 8 Pages 


1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

     Farmers Group, Inc.

2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

     (a)  |_|

     (b)  |_|

3.   SEC USE ONLY


4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Nevada

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

     5.   SOLE VOTING POWER

          -0-

     6.   SHARED VOTING POWER

          912,600

     7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

          -0-

     8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

          912,600

9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          912,600

10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

     N.A.

11.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     8.50%

12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

     IC
<PAGE>
                                                              Page 4 of 8 Pages 

Item 1(a).    Name of Issuer:

              EXCEL INDUSTRIES INC.

Item 1(b).    Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Office:

              1120 N. Main Street
              Elkhart, IN  46514

Item 2(a).    Name of Person Filing:

              B.A.T Industries p.l.c., an English corporation ("B.A.T"), and
              Farmers Group, Inc. ("Farmers"), a Nevada corporation; Farmers is
              the beneficial owner of the Issuer's securities identified in
              Item 2(d) below through various subsidiaries of Farmers, by
              insurance exchanges for which Farmers acts as attorney-in-fact or
              by benefit plans for employees of Farmers and its subsidiaries
              for which Farmers has investment discretion.  No such entity
              beneficially owns in excess of 5% of the class of shares in
              respect of which this report is being made; and B.A.T may be
              deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of such securities by
              indirectly owning 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of
              Farmers through B.A.T's wholly-owned subsidiary, South Western
              Nominees Limited.  The filing of this statement by B.A.T shall
              not be construed as an admission that B.A.T is, for the purposes
              of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Act or under the laws or
              regulations of the United Kingdom, the beneficial owner of any
              securities covered by this statement.

Item 2(b)     Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:

              B.A.T Industries p.l.c.
              Windsor House
              50 Victoria Street
              London SW1H ONL
              England

              Farmers Group, Inc.
              4680 Wilshire Boulevard
              Los Angeles, California  90010
              USA
<PAGE>
                                                              Page 5 of 8 Pages 

Item 2(c).    Citizenship:

              B.A.T Industries p.l.c. - England
              Farmers Group, Inc.     - Nevada

Item 2(d).    Title of Class of Securities:

              Common stock, no par value

Item 2(e).    CUSIP Number:  30065710

Item 3.       This statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) by B.A.T, a
              Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Section 240.13d-
              1(b)(ii)(G), and by Farmers Group, Inc., an Insurance Company
              incorporated under the laws of Nevada.

Item 4.       Ownership:

              (a)  Amount Beneficially Owned:

                        912,600

                   The shares being reported were acquired by various
                   subsidiaries of Farmers Group Inc. by insurance exchanges
                   for which Farmers Group Inc. acts as attorney-in-fact or by
                   benefit plans for employees of Farmers Group Inc. and its
                   subsidiaries for which Farmers Group Inc. has investment
                   discretion.  No such entity beneficially owns in excess of
                   5% of the class of shares in respect of which this report is
                   being made.

              (b)  Percent of Class:

                        8.50%

              (c)  Number of shares as to which person has:

                   (i)  sole voting power:                                - 0 - 
                  (ii)  shared voting power:                            912,600 
                 (iii)  sole disposition power:                           - 0 - 
                  (iv)  shared disposition power:                       912,600 
<PAGE>
                                                              Page 6 of 8 Pages 

Item 5.       Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

              Not Applicable.

Item 6.       Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:

              Not Applicable.

Item 7.       Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
              Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
              Company:

              Not Applicable.

Item 8.       Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

              Not Applicable.

Item 9.       Notice of Dissolution of the Group:

              Not Applicable.

Item 10.      Certification:

              By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
              belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
              ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
              of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
              control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
              connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
              such purposes or effect.
<PAGE>
                                                              Page 7 of 8 Pages 

                                   SIGNATURES


          After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.


                               B.A.T INDUSTRIES p.l.c.


Dated:  February 9, 1995       By: /s/ Anthony Robert Holliman
                                   Title:  Assistant Corporate Secretary
<PAGE>
                                                              Page 8 of 8 Pages 

                                   SIGNATURES


          After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.


                               FARMERS GROUP, Inc.


Dated:  February 9, 1995       By: /s/ Maryann Seltzer
                                   Title:  Corporate Secretary




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