Kennametal Again Earns Spot on the InformationWeek 500 List of Top Information Technology Innovators

LATROBE, Pa., Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) announced today that the company has been named to the 2013 InformationWeek 500 list of the top information technology innovators in the U.S. This marks the second consecutive year that Kennametal has been selected among the nation's most innovative technology users.

Building on last year's recognition for its aggressive 15-month global implementation of SAP 6.0, Kennametal this year received recognition for its global implementation of SAP Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) – a core differentiating business process that captures, retains and transfers critical company knowledge to optimize product life-cycle management, supporting the company's industry-leading performance achieving 40 percent of annual sales from innovative new products.

"To be recognized by InformationWeek again this year is a great honor and a tribute to the work of Kennametal's Global IT team and the world-class business organization we support," said Steven Hanna, Vice President, Chief Information Officer. "With more of our talent eligible for retirement within the next decade, we rely on digital applications to preserve our institutional knowledge and expertise. The implementation of SAP PLM has transformed the way we document product designs and processes, allowing us to retain and leverage our proprietary technology solutions that are vital to boost our customer's productivity."

"The theme of this year's InformationWeek 500 is digital business. It's a movement, rooted in data analytics, mobile computing, social networking and other customer‐focused technologies that are turning companies and industries on their ear," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "Every enterprise is now a digital business — or needs to become one fast. The organizations in our ranking are leading the way."

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual InformationWeek 500 listing, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments, and administrative practices of some of the best‐known organizations in the country. Unique among corporate rankings, the InformationWeek 500 spotlights the power of innovation in information technology.

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/ .

About Kennametal
Celebrating its 75th year as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers seeking peak performance in demanding environments. The company provides innovative wear-resistant products, application engineering and services backed by advanced material science, serving customers in 60 countries across diverse sectors of aerospace, earthworks, energy, industrial production, transportation and infrastructure. With approximately 13,000 employees and nearly $3 billion in sales, the company realizes half of its revenue from outside North America, and 40% globally from innovations introduced in the past five years. Recognized among the "World's Most Ethical Companies" (Ethisphere); "Outstanding Corporate Innovator" (Product Development Management Association); and "America's Safest Companies" (EHS Today) with a focus on 100% safety, Kennametal and its foundation invest in technical education, industrial technologies and material science to deliver the promise of progress and economic prosperity to people everywhere.

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SOURCE Kennametal Inc.