Goodyear's New Eagle F1 Tire Wins NorTech Innovation Award

AKRON, Ohio, June 5 -- Goodyear's Eagle F1 GS-D3 "world tire" won praise just outside the company's hometown last night, when company representatives accepted a NorTech Innovation Award for the unique, global tire.

The Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition presents the annual award to recognize individuals, companies and nonprofit organizations that have created, developed and successfully implemented original ideas. The awards ceremony was held yesterday in the Cleveland suburb of Mayfield Heights.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 ultra-high-performance tire was developed in the company's Akron and Luxembourg Technical Centers. The NorTech award is just the latest accomplishment for this truly global tire, which has won praise on both sides of the Atlantic for its handling, wet traction and quiet ride in a sleek, stylish European design.

"The new Eagle F1 GS-D3 world tire exemplifies our commitment to delivering differentiated new products to the marketplace," said Joseph M. Gingo, senior vice president, technology and global products planning.

"Distinctive new tires such as the Eagle F1 distinguish Goodyear's product offering and create a competitive advantage. This is key to our company's success, and I'm particularly proud of the Goodyear associates around the world who worked on this product."

In recognizing Goodyear, NorTech judges cited the all-original attributes of the new Eagle F1 GS-D3: "Goodyear's new Eagle F1 tire delivers by combining the technology of a racing tire with optimum safety and comfort for everyday use. The Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires give drivers top performance in braking, cornering, and acceleration, as well as excellent handling on both dry and wet surfaces."

Goodyear won the NorTech award last year for Engineered Products' TensionRite belt gauge and in 2001 for the Wrangler MT/R tire and for the Hot Former component of the company's IMPACT manufacturing system. Goodyear's Aquatred and Extended Mobility Technology (run flat) tires both won Enterprise Development Inc. Innovation Awards, the forerunner of the NorTech award, shortly after their introduction.

The Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition, or NorTech, is a group of technology and business leaders with a vision to enhance the prosperity of the region through science, technology, and innovation. Working together, these leaders, local and state government, and industry representatives have defined missions, policies, and targeted actions that will promote new businesses and quality job growth in Northeast Ohio.

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 85 facilities in 28 countries. It has marketing operations in almost every country around the world. Goodyear employs about 92,000 people worldwide.

NOTE TO EDITORS: More information on the Goodyear Eagle F1 tire, along with downloadable photos, can be found on the company's media Web site: www.goodyearnewsroom.com . Additional information is also available at the Eagle F1 Web site: www.eaglef1.com .