Freudenberg-NOK to Form North American Joint Venture With Ishino Gasket of Japan

    PLYMOUTH, Mich., Feb. 3 -- Following the recently announced
purchase of Ishino Gasket Manufacturing Company, Ltd. by NOK Corp. of Japan,
Freudenberg-NOK and Ishino Gasket will form Ishino Gasket North America, a
50/50 joint venture that will be headquartered in Plymouth, Mich.  The new
joint venture will begin operations this month (Feb. 2003).
    Ishino Gasket Manufacturing Company is a premier supplier to the Japanese
auto industry of cylinder head and exhaust manifold gaskets.  Established in
1923 and headquartered in Tokyo, Ishino Gasket does its primary manufacturing
in Kikugawa, Japan.
    The addition of Ishino gasket technology to that of Freudenberg and
Meillor, gives the Freudenberg & NOK Group world-class capability in multi
layer steel cylinder head and exhaust manifold gasket design and
manufacturing.  This technology combination rounds out the global group's in-
house capability for total engine sealing and ensures that the Freudenberg and
NOK Group can fully meet all of its customers' total engine sealing needs in
all the major auto-producing regions of the world.
    Plymouth, Mich.-based Freudenberg-NOK is part of the Freudenberg and NOK
Group Companies, which have total annual sales of nearly $7 billion.  With
worldwide automotive sales of approximately $4 billion, the Freudenberg and
NOK Group was ranked No. 2 in global balance among top automotive suppliers
(according to Automotive News International - Sept. 2001) and No. 22 in global
sales among the world's top OEM automotive suppliers (per Automotive News -
June 17, 2002).
    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.
    For more information, visit the Freudenberg-NOK web site at
http://www.freudenberg-nok.com .