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Freudenberg-NOK Creates Vibracoustic North America

15 July 1999

Freudenberg-NOK Creates Vibracoustic North America to Further Enhance Automotive Vibration Control Business, Customer Value; Names Ilkhani-Pour as President of New Subsidiary

    PLYMOUTH, Mich., July 14 -- Freudenberg-NOK's board of
directors has approved the formation of Vibracoustic North America -- an
independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Freudenberg-NOK -- to align its
automotive vibration control business with recently announced plans for
Vibracoustic worldwide.  Once the new company is established, Mehdi Ilkhani-
Pour, currently president of Freudenberg-NOK's Automotive Vibration Division,
will become president of Vibracoustic North America.
    Vibracoustic North America will be based in Plymouth, Mich., at its new
20,000-square-foot headquarters.  In addition to office space, the new
$7 million facility, which will open later this year, includes laboratories
with significant NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) test equipment.
    According to Joseph C. Day, Freudenberg-NOK president and CEO, the
formation of Vibracoustic North America brings further focus to Freudenberg-
NOK's growing NVH business and establishes a solid base for worldwide
extension of the Vibracoustic group.
    "With the ever-increasing importance of vehicle NVH, our customers are
looking for global suppliers with leading-edge technology, a broad product
portfolio and complete regional capabilities that are consistent everywhere in
the world," Ilkhani-Pour said.  "Vibracoustic will be uniquely positioned to
meet these expectations and provide its customers with value-based, integrated
NVH solutions."
    Vibracoustic North America will have direct relationship with Vibracoustic
Europe, which is the 50-50 joint venture -- announced on April 29 -- between
Freudenberg Dichtungs- und Schwingungstechnik KG of Weinheim, Germany, and
Phoenix AG of Hamburg, Germany.  Through Vibracoustic Europe, Vibracoustic
North America, Vibracoustic do Brazil and further partnerships around the
world, the global group Vibracoustic will become the world's largest and most-
focused automotive vibration control entity.
    "We intend to grow by focusing on the customer," Ilkhani-Pour said.
"Through extensive development capabilities and standardized production
methods, Vibracoustic will be able to speed up the development cycle and
ensure product reliability.  The global sharing of best practices within the
Vibracoustic group will be the catalyst to continually enhance customer
value."
    A leading supplier of vibration control products, Freudenberg-NOK offers a
broad portfolio of NVH components and packages, including engine mounts,
torsional vibration dampers, body and cradle mounts, jounce bumpers and spring
isolators.  With unique capabilities for complete noise path analysis,
increasing focus on analytical techniques, and an expanded product line --
which will include air springs, conventional and hydraulic chassis bushings,
and other innovative NVH components -- the depth and breadth of product
offerings will significantly increase through Vibracoustic North America,
Ilkhani-Pour said.
    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 20 automotive suppliers and is one of only
eight in the top 100 that have global balance in each of the three major
automotive markets -- Asia, Europe and North America.
    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 .