Honors for MANN+HUMMEL: 13th Consecutive GM Supplier of Year

PORTAGE, Mich., May 10, 2005 -- MANN+HUMMEL, development partner and original equipment supplier to the international automotive industry, has received the 2004 International Supplier of the Year award from General Motors. This award is given for outstanding performance in the areas of quality, service, technology and price. MANN+HUMMEL is one of only two companies worldwide to have received this accolade for 13 consecutive years.

The award was presented to MANN+HUMMEL GmbH Executive Board Chairman Dr. Dieter Seipler during recent ceremonies at the General Motors Vehicle Engineering Center in Warren, Michigan.

"Our Supplier of the Year winners are the Best of the Best, and MANN+HUMMEL is part of this elite group based on their outstanding performance in 2004," said Bo Andersson, vice president, GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. "Its balanced focus on performance and behavior support GM's priorities, and make it a role model for suppliers worldwide."

"We see this award as a tribute to our global strategy of developing innovative solutions, in partnership with our customers, that provide both technical and qualitative value to enhance our international competitiveness," said Seipler at the award ceremony. "It provides a further incentive for all employees to positively represent MANN+HUMMEL by offering top-quality performance in all aspects of our business to our customers."

The GM Supplier of the Year award began as a global program in 1992. Winners are selected by a global team of executives from purchasing, engineering, manufacturing and logistics who rate supplier performance in quality, service, technology and price. This year, General Motors honored 78 suppliers for their excellence throughout 2004.

The close relationship between General Motors and MANN+HUMMEL has existed for more than five decades. The global filtration and powertrain component specialist supplies the automobile group with oil filters, oil modules, air- filter systems, intake manifolds, crankcase ventilation systems and design covers for the engine compartment as well as many types of fluid reservoirs.

An important tie between MANN+HUMMEL and General Motors is the Ambassador program, which the car manufacturer set up several years ago to achieve continuous improvement in product quality and customer satisfaction. The program aims to intensify communication and co-operation with the company's suppliers. Involvement of the supplier under the heading "Supplier Integration" begins at a very early stage in the development of a project. The pre-requisite for the relationship between the partners is 100 percent quality. Therefore, MANN+HUMMEL has committed itself to a "zero defects" product goal.

"In addition to the attention paid to technological aspects of our products," Seipler noted, "we also strive to continuously improve indirect factors such as service and communication."

The MANN+HUMMEL Group is an international company. In 2004, the company achieved sales of $1.6 billion. The MANN+HUMMEL Group currently employs around 9,100 people at 41 locations worldwide. The company develops, produces and sells technically complex automotive components such as air filter systems, intake manifold systems, liquid filter systems and cabin filters for the automotive industry, and filter elements for vehicle servicing and repair. For general engineering, process engineering and industrial manufacturing sectors the company's product range includes industrial filters, filter systems and materials-handling systems and equipment. MANN+HUMMEL's customers come from a large number of sectors, with series production for the automotive industry occupying a key position. Further information about MANN+HUMMEL can be found at http://www.mann-hummel.com/ .