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Eagle Ottawa Awarded 'Superior' Rating from Toyota

6 April 1999

Eagle Ottawa Awarded 'Superior' Rating from Toyota

    ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., April 5 -- Eagle Ottawa, the world's
leading producer of automotive leather upholstery, was recently awarded a
distinction of "Supplier Achievement for Quality Performance" by Toyota Motor
Corp. for 1998.
    Toyota bestowed this superior rating on only three of the 260 suppliers
that supported its Japanese operations last year.  Eagle Ottawa supplied the
leather for a number of Toyota vehicles produced in both the United States and
Japan, including the Land Cruiser, Celica and the Avalon.
    The award was presented by Hiroshi Okuda, president of Toyota Motor Corp.,
in February in Nagoya, Japan.  In his remarks, Okuda called the distinction
the highest honor it could pay to a supplier.
    Eagle Ottawa Chairman Anders Segerdahl and CEO Jerry Sumpter accepted the
award.  Sumpter said the honor reflected his company's commitment to
delivering highest standards of product excellence and customer satisfaction.
    "Eagle Ottawa provides complete customer service throughout the
development and production of the automobile," said Sumpter.  "It is our aim
to see that customers like Toyota receive not only the finest leather product
for their vehicles, but also ongoing support to ensure our shared standards of
excellence are met.  Eagle Ottawa looks forward to continuing this strong
relationship with Toyota."
    Founded in 1865, Eagle Ottawa supplies the leather interiors to more than
65 models worldwide, representing 45 percent of the U.S. market and nearly
one-third of the global market.  Eagle Ottawa specializes in interior trim
components for the automotive industry, focusing strongly on application
support and research and development, as well as continuing to pioneer
environmentally friendly manufacturing.