Exhibit 99.1 
  
  
  
                                    CONTACT:  Media: 
                                              Ronald S. Ziemba 
                                              203-969-0666 ext. 405 
                                              ronald.ziemba@hexcel.com 
  
                                              Investors: 
                                              Stephen C. Forsyth 
                                              203-969-0666 ext. 425 
                                              stephen.forsyth@hexcel.com 
  
  
              HEXCEL PROPOSES TO ISSUE $275 MILLION OF SENIOR 
             SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2009 PURSUANT TO RULE 144A. 
  
  
  
      STAMFORD, CT, January 4, 1999 -- Hexcel Corporation (NYSE/PCX: HXL)
 announced today that it proposes to issue $275 million of senior
 subordinated notes due 2009 pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act of
 1933.  Hexcel expects that the proposed private offering will be
 consummated by the end of January 1999.  Hexcel will use the net proceeds
 of the proposed offering to prepay approximately $227.5 million of its bank
 term loans and to redeem approximately $37.5 of its increasing rate senior
 subordinated notes.  The notes issued pursuant to the offering will have
 registration rights but will not be initially registered under the
 Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States
 absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration
 requirements. 
  
      This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
 solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the notes
 in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale
 would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
 securities laws of any state or jurisdiction.