Partners for Success: Schaeffler Group Presents 2006 / 2007 Suppliers of the Year Awards

"We are dependent on supplier partnerships that function well," said Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler, partner of the Schaeffler Group, at the Supplier Conference that takes place every two years at the company's headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

The company's goals can only be achieved with a supplier network that extends globally. And that is why the top 50 nominated suppliers for the "2006 / 2007 Suppliers of the Year" awards came from 15 countries. The eight honored suppliers who received awards during the event were companies from Germany,Austria,Switzerland,Romania andthe United States.

"The Schaeffler Group invests several hundred million euros annually in order to maintain and strengthen its position as a technological leader in the automotive, industrial, aviation and aerospace sectors," said Dr. Juergen M. Geissinger, president and chief financial officer of the Schaeffler Group. "Our holding in Continental has opened up new potential for future technologies and our suppliers can be an important part of the process, as long as the expansion is based on quality."

"In the Schaeffler Group, we have a zero defect target," Geissinger continued. "We want to pass this requirement to our suppliers. To work together successfully, our suppliers must understand this."

Dr. Gerhard Schuff, who recently took over responsibility for the newly created purchasing section within the Executive Management Board, was able to report on improvements in this area (the number of defects has been cut nearly in half in the past few years). Nevertheless, a further significant reduction of complaints is achievable. Proof that this is possible comes from a spring supplier, which provides the Schaeffler Group with around 40 million springs per year and has had only one complaint in the last four years.

The most important assessment criteria for the Supplier Awards are quality, delivery reliability, innovation, willingness for globalization and costs that meet market requirements. The following companies were presented awards for their exceptional performance in these areas: Baumann Feder AG from Rueti (Switzerland); Wienstroth Warmebehandlungstechnik GmbH from Goch (Germany); Guhring oHG from Albstadt (Germany); FESTO AG from Esslingen (Germany); MIBA Sinter Austria GmbH (Austria); COMPA IT from Sibiu (Romania); and HUSCO International Inc. (USA). Die Camillo Krejci Polymertechnik GmbH (Austria) received the Schaeffler Group "Supplier of the Year" award for the third time.

About the Schaeffler Group

The Schaeffler Group, and its brands INA, FAG and LuK, is a renowned supplier to the automotive industry as well as a leading manufacturer of rolling bearings worldwide. The Schaeffler Group, and its approximately 66,000 employees at more than 180 locations worldwide, distributes precision components and systems for automotive engineering, industry as well as aviation and aerospace. The Schaeffler Group generated sales of 8.9 billion euros in 2007, 60 percent of which were generated in the automotive division. The Group has more than 29,000 employees in Germany.

To serve the North American automotive market, the Schaeffler Group operates a 78,000-square-foot North American Automotive Tech Center inTroy, Mich. This facility employs 165 engineers and technicians and houses a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art test lab outfitted with multiple test cells capable of performing test simulations for engine and engine components. Schaeffler Group Automotive has headquarters inFort Mill, S.C. and manufacturing facilities inSouth Carolina,Missouri,Ohio andOntario, Canada. For more information, please visit www.schaefflergroup.com .

SOURCE Schaeffler Group

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Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,AUT,MAC,AWD,MI-Schaeffler-Group

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