Bart Thompson, Michelin Engineer for 'No Air Tweel(TM)' Innovation to Keynote at The SME Summit - August 3-4, 2005

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 14, 2005 -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) today announced that Bart Thompson, innovation engineer for Michelin's revolutionary "Tweel(TM)," an integrated tire and wheel combination which operates without air, will be the keynote speaker at The SME Summit, being held on August 3-4, 2005 at the Olympia Resort & Conference Center, Oconomowoc, (Milwaukee), Wis. The SME Summit is a one-of-a-kind collaboration of innovative technologies being used in the manufacturing industry today, bringing together experts from leading industries across the manufacturing enterprise and offering sessions on the latest "need to know" technologies. Michelin showcased the revolutionary Tweel(TM) innovation at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January 2005. For more information on the "Tweel(TM)," see the live video as aired on CBS Evening News, "Reinventing the Wheel."

"This cross-industry event is important to all manufacturing practitioners," says Mark Tomlinson, SME director of Membership. "Michelin has been an innovative company and has survived and thrived in the manufacturing industry. Their focus on innovation and change echoes our launch of SME's Technical Community Network (TCN)."

The SME Summit will focus on leading technologies of the TCN, including innovative strategies and tools to improve products and operations in areas including -- but not limited to -- Rapid Technologies; Product & Process Design & Management; Engineering Materials Applications, Machining & Material Removal, Forming & Fabricating; Automated Manufacturing & Assembly; Manufacturing Education & Research, and Professional Development.

SME: Technical Community Network (TCN):

The SME Technical Communities help manufacturing professionals gain in-depth exposure to other professional and technical resources in specific manufacturing disciplines. Each of the seven communities, in-turn, offers even more specific exposure to segments within its technology through working committees, or tech groups. Major benefits include: tech group meetings, online discussions, e-newsletters, community-level town hall meetings and blue books. Visit http://www.sme.org/communities .

Future of Tweel(TM) Technology:

For Michelin, Tweel is a long-term vision that represents the next step in a long path of industry-changing innovations. Fifty years ago, Michelin invented the radial tire and there is no question that radial tire technology will continue as the standard for a long time to come. Michelin continues to advance the performance of the radial tire in areas such as rolling resistance, wear life and grip. In the short-term, the lessons learned from Tweel research are being applied to improve those conventional tire performances. In the future, Tweel may reinvent the way that vehicles move. Checking tire pressure, fixing flats, highway blow-outs and balancing between traction and comfort could all fade into memory.

About Michelin:

The world's largest tire maker, Michelin (http://www.michelin.com/ ) manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs 23,000 and operates 21 plants in 17 locations. Visit http://www.michelin.com/ .

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Sponsorship packages are available at very affordable prices for companies interested in gaining visibility, both on-site with the hundreds of Summit attendees, and through print and on-line marketing seen by thousands of manufacturers around the world. For more information, click on "Sponsorship Opportunities" under http://www.sme.org/techsummit , or contact Alice Hull at (313) 425-3276.

About SME:

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional society supporting manufacturing education. Through its member programs, publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep manufacturing professionals up-to-date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than half a million manufacturing engineers and executives annually. The Society has members in 70 countries and is supported by a network of hundreds of chapters worldwide.

Additional Information:

For more information about The SME Summit, visit the Web site at http://sme.org/techsummit , or call the SME Resource Center at (800) 733-4763, or (outside the U.S. and Canada) at (313) 425-4500, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, EST, or FAX to (313) 425-3401.