Continental Teves Facility Recognized for Manufacturing Innovations

28 September 2000

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 28 The Morganton, NC plant of
Continental Teves was recognized for its world-class manufacturing operations,
being named one of the top five finalists for the Automotive Manufacturing
Award at the annual Automotive World Magazine dinner held in conjunction with
the opening of the Paris Motor Show.  The ceremonies took place at the
renowned Cite des Science et de l'Industrie (Museum of Science and Industry)
in Paris and included executives of the leading automotive companies and
suppliers from around the world.
     Automotive World Magazine established the award to honor the company that
made the most significant improvements in the manufacturing area.
     "This award belongs to the individual employees at the plant," according
to plant manager Dennis White.  "It is their innovative thinking and efforts
that have enabled the plant to reach such high levels of quality and
reliability with our electronic brake system products.
     "Anti-lock brakes, the Electronic Stability Program and other electronic
brakes systems have established themselves as important contributors to
driving safety.  Once a luxury item, many of these are now found even in
vehicles within the compact class," White continued.  "The plant currently
produces more than three million units annually and is a model of lean
manufacturing.  Employee-led work teams have helped the plant achieve world
class levels of safety, efficiency and production performance.  We are proud
of their tremendous efforts."
     "The plant was one of the first in the industry to become QS-9000
certified and, in recent years, has gone on to receive substantial recognition
for its quality, safety and reliability from customers, associations and
government entities alike.  These high standards and achievements have been
major factors in the plant maintaining the extremely high levels of
repeatability and reliability in our products required by product design, OEM
specifications, and the consumer's safety-related expectations," White said.