Freudenberg-NOK Takes Top Honors in RMA Safety Awards

Supplier received more awards than any company this year

PLYMOUTH, Mich., March 21 -- Freudenberg-NOK was honored once again by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) with 10 Safety and Health Improvement Program (SHIP) awards -- the most received by a single company this year. This is the 11th consecutive year that Freudenberg-NOK was recognized by the RMA and the second consecutive year that the Plymouth, Mich.-based company was the leading award recipient.

Freudenberg-NOK facilities honored with the RMA SHIP Excellence Award were: Ligonier, Ind.; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Henderson, Nev.; Findlay and Solon, Ohio; Cleveland, Ga.; Spencer, Iowa and Franklin, N.H. The Excellence Award is presented to facilities that have an incidence rate that is at least 75 percent better than the overall RMA plant average.

The RMA SHIP Improvement Award was presented to Freudenberg-NOK facilities in Troy, Ohio and Bloomington, Ill. This award recognizes facilities that achieve an incidence rate that is both 10 percent better than the previous year's rate and the same or better than the RMA average incidence rate.

"Safety is an integral part of our culture and our quest for excellence," said Dr. Mohsen Sohi, president and chief executive officer of Freudenberg- NOK. "It is an honor to be recognized for the 11th consecutive year as an industry leader in safety - which we could only achieve through the hard work of our associates and their dedication to our pursuit for continuous improvement."

A total of 78 tire and rubber manufacturing facilities were recognized this year by the RMA for their 2004 performance. The SHIP awards were established in 1981 to recognize and encourage significant enhancements in worker health and safety.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for the rubber products industry. Its members include more than 100 companies that manufacture various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded goods and other finished rubber products. RMA members employ over 120,000 workers and account for more than $21 billion in annual sales.

Founded in 1989, Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership is a joint venture between Freudenberg & Co. of Germany and NOK Corp. of Japan.

Freudenberg-NOK is a leader in automotive sealing and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) products and is a supplier to all automakers producing in North America, as well as all major tier one chassis and drivetrain suppliers. The company's headquarters and technical center in Plymouth, Mich. houses the most extensive supplier-operated sealing and noise and vibration testing facility in North America.

Freudenberg-NOK offers its automotive customers globally integrated products, including sealing packages for transmissions, engines, brakes, axles and steering, NVH components and packages, and all rubber, plastic and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) components for suspension, electrical and fuel systems.

The company also offers an extensive portfolio of special precision seals for the aerospace, appliance, business machine, fluid power, marine, medical, off-highway equipment and recreational vehicle markets. For more information, visit the Freudenberg-NOK website at http://www.freudenberg-nok.com/ .