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Meritor Automotive Announces 1999 'Engineer of the Year' Award Winners

12 January 2000

Meritor Automotive Announces 1999 'Engineer of the Year' Award Winners

    TROY, Mich., Jan. 12 -- Meritor Automotive
yesterday named Nigel Spurr, product applications engineer, its 1999 Engineer
of the Year, and Karl-Gustav Nyback production engineer, its Manufacturing
Engineer of the Year.  Meritor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Larry D.
Yost, will present the awards at a dinner banquet this evening.
    Spurr, who works for the Light Vehicle Systems Access Control System Group
in Birmingham, England, was honored for his contributions to the
visualization, design and development of an innovative door lock mechanism.
    "Nigel has a strong vision and the skills to create innovative designs for
Meritor's global customers," said S. Carl Soderstrom, Meritor senior vice
president, Engineering, Quality and Procurement.
    Nyback, who works for the Heavy Vehicle Systems axle unit in Lindesberg,
Sweden, was honored for his contributions to the development of a flexible,
modular and environmentally friendly manufacturing system for a new family of
ductile iron housings.
    "Karl-Gustav has been an excellent performer for the Volvo family for
nearly 30 years," said Soderstrom.  "He has strong knowledge of the heavy
truck industry and the talent for developing manufacturing systems that help
Meritor and its worldwide customers increase productivity and achieve
significant cost savings."
    Spurr joined Meritor (formerly Rockwell Automotive) in 1987.  Nyback
joined Volvo in 1961.  Meritor acquired Volvo's heavy truck axle manufacturing
operations in 1999.
    Meritor, with 1999 sales of $4.5 billion, is a global supplier of a broad
range of systems and components for commercial, specialty and light vehicle
OEMs and the aftermarket.  Meritor consists of two businesses:  Heavy Vehicle
Systems, a leading supplier of complete drivetrain systems and components for
medium- and heavy-duty trucks, trailers and off-highway equipment and
specialty vehicles, including military, bus and coach, and fire and rescue;
and Light Vehicle Systems, a major supplier of roof, door, access control and
suspension systems and wheel products for passenger cars, light trucks and
sport utility vehicles.