Metaldyne Names Jim Hudak Vice President, Sales & Engineering - Asia

PLYMOUTH, Mich., March 19 -- Jim Hudak has been named vice president, Sales and Engineering - Asia, Metaldyne Corp. announced today. He will report to Tom Chambers, president and chief operating officer.

In this expanded role, Hudak will spearhead the plan to build a regional Metaldyne Technical Center in Japan and increase Metaldyne's business with Asian automakers. He will continue to build and lead a team of engineering and commercial resources covering Japan, China, Korea, India and the ASEAN countries to support Metaldyne's Asian growth plans. Additionally, Hudak will be relied upon to accelerate the development and implementation of customer technical and commercial synergies between Metaldyne and its parent company Asahi Tec, in Asia.

"Jim has shown outstanding leadership as a key executive in Asia and he and his team have made great strides in winning business for Metaldyne in that region," said Chambers. "In this new position, he will continue to work to diversify our customer base and develop exciting new growth opportunities as the Asian OEMs expand their presence in North America and Europe as well as Asia."

In his previous role, Hudak served as managing director, Metaldyne Asia Pacific, where he was responsible for leading the development and implementation of Metaldyne's growth strategy in the Asia Pacific region.

He has worked for Metaldyne since 1995, when he joined the company as account manager for Asia Pacific customers. He has served in a variety of management positions in the areas of sales, applications engineering and program management responsible for both domestic and Asia Pacific customers across Metaldyne's Powertrain and Chassis groups.

Prior to joining Metaldyne he worked as an account manager for Harvard Industries and was responsible for development of business and contract negotiations with Asian automotive customers. He began his career in the automotive industry with Toyota Machine Works USA, working as an interpreter and liaison with Ford Motor Company.

Hudak received his bachelor's degree in international relations from Michigan State University's James Madison College. Upon graduation, he lived in Japan for more than two years while working in the Japanese public school system and studying Japanese language and arts at Kawaiijuku school in Nagoya, Japan. He also served as a research analyst at the United Nations.

He will be located at Metaldyne's Yokohoma, Japan, sales and engineering office.

About Metaldyne

Metaldyne is a leading global designer and supplier of metal-based components, assemblies and modules for transportation related powertrain and chassis applications including engine, transmission/transfer case, wheel-end and suspension, axle and driveline, and noise and vibration control products to the motor vehicle industry.

Headquartered in Plymouth, Mich., Metaldyne is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asahi Tec Corporation, a Shizuoka, Japan-based chassis and powertrain component supplier in the passenger car/light truck and medium/heavy truck segments. Metaldyne has annual revenues of approximately $1.9 billion and employs more than 6,500 employees at 36 facilities in 14 countries. For more information, please visit www.metaldyne.com