Freudenberg-NOK Names Duclos Vice President of Operations and Technology

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Jan. 13, 2006 -- Freudenberg-NOK has promoted Dr. Theodore G. Duclos to vice president, operations and technology. The announcement was made by Freudenberg-NOK's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mohsen Sohi.

In his new role, Duclos is responsible for helping Freudenberg-NOK meet its goals in the areas of quality, flawless launch and operational efficiency by leading the integration of various functions, including quality, technology, manufacturing and Growtth (Get Rid of Waste Through Team Harmony) -- Freudenberg-NOK's company-wide continuous improvement program.

"During his 10 years with Freudenberg-NOK, Ted has proven himself to be a valuable asset and has displayed exceptional leadership qualities in his various roles," Sohi said. "Ted will play an instrumental role in continuing to assist the company in achieving our strategic goals."

Most recently, Duclos served as Chief Technical Officer where he oversaw the company's technical capabilities, engineering resources and programs, as well as the development of new products and material and processing technologies.

Earlier, he worked as vice president of corporate technology for Freudenberg-NOK responsible for research and development projects. Duclos also planned and supervised the construction of the company's state-of-the-art technical center with advanced seal, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and materials testing facilities.

Prior to joining Freudenberg-NOK in 1996, Duclos was employed with Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Aeroquip Corp. as a general manager of Real Time Engineering, the company's engineering consulting business. He also served the company as the director of its Advanced Technology Skills Centers, where he developed new businesses in medical, environmental and electronic markets.

Previously, he was manager of the Advanced Technology Group for Lord Corp., a manufacturer of elastomeric products in Cary, N.C. He also served the company as both program and research manager on material, damper, elastomer and noise control projects. Duclos began his career in 1984 as an engineering specialist at Lord.

Duclos earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. He also completed both his master's degree and doctorate degree in biomedical engineering at Duke University in Durham, N.C.

He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, holds eight patents and has published 11 articles.

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/ .

NOTE TO EDITORS: For an electronic image of Duclos, contact Adriana Ferrari at +1-248-269-1122 or aferrari@bianchipr.com .