Freudenberg-NOK's President & CEO Receives Engineering Alumni Award
14 June 1999
Freudenberg-NOK's President & CEO Receives Engineering Alumni Award; Company Donates $250,000 for UMass-Lowell Program, Establishes 12 Scholarships
PLYMOUTH, Mich., June 14 -- In recognition of his significant
contributions to industry, Joseph C. Day, president and CEO of Freudenberg-
NOK, was inducted into the Francis Academy of Distinguished Engineers at the
University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Upon accepting the prestigious honor, Day
announced that Freudenberg-NOK will donate $250,000 and establish 12 scholar-
internships to further promote elastomers and plastics engineering education.
Day -- who received his bachelor of science degree in plastics engineering
from Lowell, and also spent his childhood in Lowell, Mass. -- is giving back
to New England and his alma mater on behalf of Freudenberg-NOK by donating
$250,000 to the school's new elastomer program and creating scholarship
opportunities for students.
"I am pleased to announce that Freudenberg-NOK will partner with the
University of Massachusetts-Lowell to sponsor professorship for their newly
established elastomer program," Day said. "Our contribution will be the
foundation for the university to launch its funding program to fully equip the
elastomer program."
Elastomers, which combine plastic and rubber into compounds, are used for
a myriad of products in a variety of industries such as automotive, defense
and appliance. While the plastics and rubber industries have seen significant
growth, the demand for elastomers -- and highly trained personnel to
manufacture them -- is expected to surge in the coming years.
"By making a donation to UMass-Lowell, Freudenberg-NOK is continuing its
efforts to ensure there is a steady supply of graduates who will have
practical, hands-on knowledge in the elastomer industry," Day said. "The
program's success is dependent on the commitment from the plastics and rubber
industries. I am hopeful that partnerships such as the one created between
Freudenberg-NOK and Lowell will become commonplace -- ensuring that the United
States continues to be a leader in today's global economy."
The new Lowell elastomer program -- a $1 million project -- was launched
last year to provide much-needed education, training and research in the area
of elastomeric materials.
Freudenberg-NOK headed a similar effort in 1996 by making the lead
corporate donation of $250,000 to Ferris State University in Big Rapids,
Mich., to help establish the country's first-ever National Elastomer Center.
Ferris' program began in the fall of 1998.
In his remarks, Day announced that Freudenberg-NOK has established 12
elastomer scholar-internships for UMass-Lowell to provide students with the
opportunity to obtain education and experience in elastomers and plastics
engineering. Freudenberg-NOK also has established four scholar-internships at
Ferris State. The two schools were selected due to Freudenberg-NOK's strong
presence in the Midwest and Northeast.
Recipients will receive $2,000 per year as a merit scholarship for the
four-year duration of the plastics engineering degree programs at each
university. Mentored jointly by Freudenberg-NOK employees and college
faculty, students also will intern at one of the company's local facilities
during winter and summer breaks over the four-year period -- to gain hands-on
training and learn all aspects of the industry, as well as earn additional
funding for college expenses. These scholar-internships will first be offered
to family members of Freudenberg-NOK employees, then extended to other
students.
Plymouth, Mich.-based Freudenberg-NOK is part of the Freudenberg and NOK
Group Companies, which have total annual sales of more than $6 billion. With
global automotive sales of approximately $3.5 billion, the Freudenberg and NOK
Group ranks among the world's top 25 independent automotive suppliers.
Through a global network of facilities spanning 24 countries with some
23,000 automotive employees worldwide, the supplier group offers its
automotive customers globally integrated products, including sealing packages
for transmissions, engines, brakes, axles and steering, NVH (noise, vibration
and harshness) components and packages, and all rubber, plastic and PTFE
components for suspension, electrical and fuel systems.
The Freudenberg and NOK Group also offers an extensive portfolio of
precision-molded products for the aerospace, appliance, business machine,
fluid power, marine, medical, off-highway equipment and recreational vehicle
markets. For more information, visit the Freudenberg-NOK web site at
http://www.freudenberg-nok.com.