Freudenberg-NOK President & CEO Named to OESA Board of Directors

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Jan. 3, 2006 -- Dr. Mohsen Sohi, president and chief executive officer of Freudenberg-NOK, has recently been named to the board of directors of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) -- a forum for the automotive industry's original equipment suppliers -- for the 2005-2006 term.

Sohi was chosen to serve on the board based on his industry leadership, as well as his active involvement in the organization. To ensure diversity amongst the board members, the committee also considered Freudenberg-NOK's size, location, business sector and ownership base.

"I am extremely proud to be on the OESA board with the industry's top executives and look forward to assisting fellow suppliers tackle industry issues," Sohi said. "With the current conditions of the automotive industry, it is vital for suppliers and OE's to collaborate to address common issues."

Named to his current position at Freudenberg-NOK in 2003, Sohi oversees all divisions of the $1 billion company, which is part of the global Freudenberg Group. With more than 16 years of engineering and management experience in the automotive, aerospace, electronics and retail sectors, Sohi is committed to the company's lean benchmark program called Growtth(R) (an acronym for Get Rid of Waste Through Team Harmony). He has worked to integrate lean principles, Six Sigma practices and information technology to extend continuous improvement across the entire Freudenberg-NOK enterprise.

Formed in August of 1998, OESA addresses issues of common concern through its peer group councils; serves as a reliable source of information and analysis; and provides an industry voice, when appropriate, on issues of interest. With nearly 400 members having global automotive sales exceeding $300 billion, OESA represents more than 60 percent of North America's automotive supplier 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/ .