Freudenberg-NOK's Cleveland, Ga. Facility Earns 'Nobel Prize' of Manufacturing

    PLYMOUTH, Mich., April 25 Freudenberg-NOK's Cleveland, Ga.
production facility has earned the coveted 2001 Shingo Prize for Excellence in
Manufacturing in recognition of its world-class achievements in manufacturing,
quality, productivity and customer satisfaction.
    The prestigious award, considered to be the Nobel Prize of manufacturing,
will be presented to the Cleveland facility and five other recipients at the
13th Annual Shingo Prize Conference and Awards Ceremony at the Hyatt Regency
in Dearborn, Mich. on June 7, 2001.
    "It is an honor to be recognized for a third time by the Shingo Prize
Academy as one of the industry's premier manufacturers," said Richard E.
Allen, chief executive officer, automotive for Freudenberg-NOK.  "Through our
ongoing commitment to lean practices, the Cleveland facility has incurred
zero-warranty costs over the last three years and has achieved a 97 percent
reduction in part per million rejection rates."
    "This award clearly recognizes the hard work and dedication of our
associates," said Gary R. VanWambeke, Freudenberg-NOK's Cleveland site
executive.  "Through kaizen activities and Six Sigma initiatives, we will
continue providing world-class products to our customers."
    Freudenberg-NOK's Cleveland facility was the first plant built
specifically for one-piece flow manufacturing and was the birthplace for the
entire company's successful lean initiatives.  The plant produces valve stem
seals, crankshaft seals, camshaft seals, transmission shaft seals and
powertrain oil seals.  The 150,000-square-foot facility is QS-9000 certified
and employs approximately 400 associates.  Since 1997, the plant has achieved
a 54 percent reduction in scrap and a 27 percent increase in productivity.
    The manufacturing facility has received numerous other awards, including
DaimlerChrysler's Gold Award for six consecutive years, the Rubber
Manufacturers Association Safety and Health Improvement Program Award and Ford
Motor Co.'s Excellence Award.
    The Shingo Prize was presented to Freudenberg-NOK's LaGrange, Ga. plant in
2000 and the Manchester, N.H. facility in 1998.  In addition, Freudenberg-NOK
Chairman and CEO Joseph C. Day, was inducted into the Shingo Prize Academy in
1999 for his personal efforts in helping the auto industry convert to lean
systems.
    Established in 1988, the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing
recognizes companies throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico that have
demonstrated outstanding achievements in manufacturing processes leading to
quality enhancement, productivity improvement and customer satisfaction.  The
prize -- known as one of the "Triple Crown" awards for industrial excellence,
along with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Deming Prize --
is administered by the Office of Business Relations in the College of Business
of Utah State University.
    Named in honor of the late Dr. Shigeo Shingo -- one of the world's leading
experts on improving the manufacturing process and one of the creators of the
renowned Toyota Production System -- the prize is awarded to businesses after
a rigorous application review and site inspection by a board of examiners.
The philosophy of the Shingo Prize is that world-class status may be achieved
through improving manufacturing processes, implementing lean, just-in-time
philosophies and systems, eliminating waste and achieving zero defects -- to
continuously improve products and costs.
    Plymouth, Mich.-based Freudenberg-NOK is part of the Freudenberg and NOK
Group Companies, which have total annual sales of nearly $7 billion.  With
global automotive sales of approximately $4 billion, the Freudenberg and NOK
Group ranks among the 15 largest OEM automotive suppliers (per Crain's Detroit
Business) and is one of only eight in the top 100 that has global balance in
each of the three major automotive markets -- Asia, Europe and North America
(according to Automotive News).
    Through a global network of facilities spanning 27 countries with some
25,000 automotive employees worldwide, the supplier group offers its
automotive customers globally integrated products, including sealing packages
for transmissions, engines, brakes, axles and steering, NVH (noise, vibration
and harshness) components and packages, and all rubber, plastic and PTFE
components for suspension, electrical and fuel systems.
    The Freudenberg and NOK Group also offers an extensive portfolio of
precision-molded products for the aerospace, appliance, business machine,
fluid power, marine, medical, off-highway equipment and recreational vehicle
markets.  For more information, visit the Freudenberg-NOK web site at
http://www.freudenberg-nok.com

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