Akebono Corporation Receives Excellence Award from National Catalog Managers Association

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., May 31, 2005 -- Akebono Corporation received a President's Award for Catalog Excellence from the National Catalog Managers Association (NCMA). The award, which Akebono received for electronic catalog data submission, was presented by AMS Computer Group on May 3rd at the 32nd Annual NCMA Conference in Tempe, Ariz. The awards recognize automotive aftermarket companies that have achieved excellence in electronic cataloging as well as traditional paper catalogs.

"This is an outstanding accomplishment for Akebono and our Aftermarket division," said Kevin Alder, President and COO of Akebono Corporation (North America). "It shows that the high quality standards of our Original Equipment programs, which have had tremendous success and have helped make us the largest supplier of disc brake pads in North America, have taken root, and are generating significant awareness and recognition in the aftermarket with distributors, installers and consumers."

Founded in 1974, the National Catalog Managers Association consists of more than 150 member representatives from automotive companies across the United States and Canada. NCMA's annual conference, the Knowledge Exchange, brings together members and their trading partners for educational seminars and a trade show.

Akebono Corporation, North America (ACNA) is a world leader in advanced brake and friction material development and production, with a focus on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) analysis and control. ACNA is a subsidiary of Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. (Tokyo) that operates technical research and development centers in Japan, the United States and France, with 30 wholly- owned or affiliated manufacturing facilities worldwide. Akebono launched U.S. brake sales in 1980 and U.S. production operations in 1988. Worldwide, Akebono employs 6,800 people, with 1,900 in North America. For information on Akebono products, please visit http://www.akebonobrakes.com/ .