Timken Enters Agreement with Bardahl Corp. to Distribute Line of Additives Down Under

CANTON, Ohio, Nov. 6, 2002; The Timken Company has entered into an agreement with Bardahl Corp. to exclusively distribute Bardahl's well-known lines of automotive fuel additives, oil additives and performance-improvement products in Australia. The companies announced the agreement at the popular Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) race at Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast.

"Just as we've served racing teams with our automotive products, we eagerly anticipate the launch of Bardahl products through our distribution channels. This agreement brings yet another strong line of products to our automotive aftermarket customer," said Peter Storey, general manager - sales and marketing. "This partnership will further solidify our position in the Australian automotive aftermarket and provide growth opportunities for Timken® service kits, DT Components(TM), Permatex(TM), bearings and other related products."

Products offered through the agreement include Octa-Power® acceleration additive, Kiwami® Power-Boosting Team, Knock-Out® octane booster, Instead O'Lead® lead substitute, All-U-Need® fuel system treatment, No-Smoke® exhaust smoke reducer and Ring-Eeez® oil. Timken will inventory Bardahl products at its Ballarat-based distribution center to supply authorized distributors throughout the country.

"Our customer-centric focus encourages the need to pursue a broader line of products for automotive aftermarket distributors. The strong and well-known Bardahl brand is an excellent complement to our current product line and will help us achieve that growth for Timken in Australia," said Tony de Haas, market manager automotive parts.

Bardahl, a company formed in the United States in 1939 by the legendary Ole Bardahl, is known worldwide for its quality and performance-enhancing additives for both automotive and industrial applications. Its products are well-known in the racing world as well as the consumer aftermarkets. For over 60 years, Bardahl products have offered the best in performance.

"We at Bardahl are proud to be associated with The Timken Company and its Australian operations," says Eric Fletcher, managing director - Asia for Bardahl. "We believe this strategic move will prove profitable for both organizations and, most importantly, provide additional performance-boosting options and a world with less friction for our customers throughout Australia."

The Timken Company is a leading international manufacturer of highly engineered bearings, alloy and specialty steels and components, as well as a provider of related products and services. With operations in 24 countries, the company employs about 18,100 people worldwide and recorded 2001 sales of U.S. $2.4 billion