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FANUC Robotics' Mittelstadt to Retire

7 October 1998

FANUC Robotics' Mittelstadt to Retire; Succeeded as CEO By Rick Schneider

    ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., Oct. 6 -- Eric Mittelstadt, chairman
and CEO of FANUC Robotics North America, Inc., today announced that he will
retire after 16 years at the helm of North America's leading supplier of
robots and robotic systems.  Mittelstadt's retirement is effective December
31, 1998.
    Effective January 1, 1999, Rick Schneider, 42, will become president and
chief executive officer.  He has served as president and chief operating
officer since 1997, with the entire FANUC Robotics management team reporting
to him.  Prior to that, in his nearly 15 years with FANUC Robotics, Schneider
held a variety of management positions both domestically and internationally,
and in 1996 was named senior vice president, responsible for all sales,
applications and systems execution of the company.
    Mittelstadt, 62, will remain a business advisor to the company and will
hold the title chairman emeritus.  He will continue to represent the company
through his participation in civic and professional organizations such as the
International Federation of Robotics, National Coalition for Advanced
Manufacturing (NACFAM), Oakland County Business Roundtable, and Detroit
Regional Chamber of Commerce.
    "I look forward to what the future holds -- both for me and for FANUC
Robotics," said Mittelstadt.  "I've been fortunate to have had a role in the
phenomenal growth of this company and the entire robotics industry.  When the
company was founded in 1982, we had 70 employees.  Today, we have more than
1,000 working throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America.  And
that is what I will miss most about FANUC Robotics -- the people.  Now, as I
prepare to step down, I am confident that the company will thrive under the
leadership of Rick Schneider.  The vision and effectiveness he has
demonstrated as president and COO for more than a year now, combined with the
strong FANUC Robotics management team, will continue to guide the company in
the years ahead."
    "During 1998, we've placed a great deal of emphasis on strengthening FANUC
Robotics' infrastructure," said Schneider.  "Key projects have included the
opening of six new or expanded facilities throughout the North America/Latin
America region, the implementation of an ISO 9001 quality system and a BaaN
Enterprise Resource Planning System, and the introduction of several new
products including a new robot controller platform.  For 1999, the company's
emphasis will be on utilizing the infrastructure put into place in 1998 to
improve overall customer satisfaction, thereby focusing the whole company even
more on the customer."
    FANUC Robotics North America, Inc., headquartered in Rochester Hills,
Mich., is the North American robotics industry leader, with 1997 sales of
approximately $370 million.  A subsidiary of FANUC LTD in Japan, the company
also has facilities in Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; Charlotte,
North Carolina; Cincinnati and Toledo, Ohio; Toronto, Ontario; Montreal,
Quebec; Mexico City and Aguascalientes, Mexico; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.