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The Timken Company Receives Chrysler Corporation's Platinum Pentastar Award

24 December 1997

The Timken Company Receives Chrysler Corporation's Platinum Pentastar Award

    CANTON, Ohio, Dec. 24 -- The Timken Company has
been awarded Chrysler Corporation's Platinum Pentastar Award, the most
prestigious award Chrysler can bestow on a supplier, during Dec. 12 ceremonies
at the Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Mich.  The Platinum
Pentastar recognizes every aspect of a company's manufacturing and service,
including quality, technology, cost reduction, delivery and service.
    "It is indeed an honor to win Chrysler's Platinum Pentastar Award," said
Bob Leibensperger, executive vice president/president-bearings.  "This comes
after receiving the Chrysler Role Model Award for Quality the past two years
and the Gold Pentastar the past several years and demonstrates, I believe,
that our continuous improvement efforts are paying dividends."
    "This is a great accomplishment for our company and our associates," said
Bill Bowling, executive vice president/president - steel.  "The Platinum
Pentastar is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards in our industry
and we are proud to have been selected a recipient."
    The Timken Company's relationship with Chrysler began in 1915 when Timken
supplied six bearings for the "Dodge Four" car.  In that same year, Timken
also supplied bearings to the Chalmers Motor Co., which became Maxwell-
Chalmers in the '20s and, ultimately the Chrysler Corp.  Today, Timken
supplies Chrysler with transmission, axle and SENSOR-PAC(TM) wheel bearings
and gears and races made from Timken seamless steel tubing for automatic
transmissions.
    Timken achieved more than a seven percent savings in the Chrysler Supplier
Cost Reduction Effort (SCORE) program during the 1997 model year, and has
shipped more than 120 million bearings to Chrysler in the past five years
averaging an outstanding rating of 1.0 defective parts per million pieces.
    The Platinum Pentastar Award recognizes associates at most of the
company's bearing and steel manufacturing plants in North America that make
products for Chrysler, as well as associates who design the product and
support the design and manufacturing efforts.
    "It took the efforts of thousands of Timken associates to win this coveted
award," said Don Cooperrider, account manager - automotive - bearings -
Detroit.  "Everyone at Timken who makes a product for Chrysler, designs a
product or supports these efforts in any way should be congratulated."
    The Timken Company is a leading international manufacturer of highly
engineered bearings and alloy steels.  The company employs some
19,000 associates worldwide and reported 1996 sales of about U.S.
$2.4 billion.

SOURCE  Timken Company