Freudenberg-NOK Recognized for Six Sigma Achievement by Ford Motor Co.

    PLYMOUTH, Mich., June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of the "Technology
 Specialist's" quality efforts, Freudenberg-NOK recently received a
 Recognition of Achievement Award from Ford Motor Co. for its
 consumer-driven Six Sigma accomplishments. The award is part of the
 automaker's World Excellence Awards program, which recognizes suppliers who
 not only achieve the highest levels of cost, quality and delivery, but who
 also embrace the vision to build Ford's legacy and drive innovation to new
 heights.
     The Recognition of Achievement Award, earned by only nine suppliers in
 2005, honors suppliers who impact customer satisfaction by providing
 significant contributions in key designated areas including: environmental
 leadership, consumer-focused technology and consumer-driven Six Sigma.
     "We are delighted to be recognized for our Six Sigma achievements and
 our commitment to quality," said Theodore G. Duclos, vice president,
 operations and technology for Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership. "We will
 continue our dedication to customer satisfaction and exceeding our client's
 needs, while striving to be an outstanding global partner with Ford."
     Freudenberg-NOK's Advanced Vibration and Acoustics (AVA) group was
 charged with optimizing the sealing isolation system and the noise,
 vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics for a cam cover design. AVA
 has developed techniques to synergize sealing and NVH, which are typically
 opposing phenomena. Utilizing Design for Six Sigma techniques, the
 Freudenberg-NOK engineering team improved the product pre-production, also
 optimizing cost savings and increasing customer value.
     Six Sigma, which focuses on measuring quality and allowing for no more
 than 3.4 defects per million parts, is one of the pillars of
 Freudenberg-NOK's Growtth program focused on superior quality, service and
 productivity. Freudenberg-NOK has 61 Six Sigma black belts on staff and has
 completed 155 Six Sigma projects to drive superior quality, enhance
 reliability and help automakers and tier one customers to reduce costs.
     Growtth(R) -- Get Rid of Waste Through Team Harmony -- is Freudenberg-
 NOK's company-wide continuous improvement program and the cornerstone of
 the supplier's corporate culture. Launched in 1992, the program emphasizes
 teamwork and communications and combines lean practices, Six Sigma and
 other techniques to increase efficiencies in the use of time, labor,
 materials and space. It has helped Freudenberg-NOK become the benchmark
 company for lean systems in the North American automotive industry.
     Ford presented more than 60 awards to its global suppliers for their
 outstanding performance in 2005 during an awards ceremony in early May.
 More than 150 of Ford's largest production and non-production suppliers
 from 17 countries attended the eighth annual event.
     Founded in 1989, Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership is a joint venture
 between Freudenberg & Co. of Germany and NOK Corp. of Japan.
     Freudenberg-NOK is a leader in automotive sealing and noise, vibration
 and harshness (NVH) products and is a supplier to all automakers producing
 in North America, as well as all major tier one chassis and drivetrain
 suppliers. The company's headquarters and technical center in Plymouth,
 Mich. houses the most extensive supplier-operated sealing and noise and
 vibration testing facility in North America.
     Freudenberg-NOK offers its automotive customers globally integrated
 products, including sealing packages for transmissions, engines, brakes,
 axles and steering, NVH components and packages, and all rubber, plastic
 and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) components for suspension, electrical
 and fuel systems.
     The company also offers an extensive portfolio of special precision
 seals for the aerospace, appliance, business machine, fluid power, marine,
 medical, off-highway equipment and recreational vehicle markets. For more
 information, visit the Freudenberg-NOK website at
 http://www.freudenberg-nok.com .
 
 

SOURCE Freudenberg-NOK