25 March 2008
AddisonMckee Named As a Winner of the Managing Automation 2008 Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards

AddisonMckee will be honored at the Progressive Manufacturing Black Tie Gala June 12, 2008 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas.

Lebanon, Ohio, USA: AddisonMckee was selected as a winner of the fourth annual Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards, selected by Managing Automation, a Thomas Publishing Company, LLC media brand.

The Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards Program recognizes 50 projects that have achieved distinction in at least one of the eight core disciplines defined by Managing Automation as critical to business success in the years ahead. These disciplines include: Business Model Mastery, Customer Mastery, Supply Network Mastery, Data & Integration Mastery, Innovation Mastery, Training & Education Mastery, Leadership and Operational Excellence. Project nominations were reviewed by an independent judging panel chaired by David Brousell, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Automation. Judges included Lisa Bodell, CEO, FutureThink; Bill Canis, Vice President for Research and Innovation, The Manufacturing Institute at the National Association of Manufacturers; Douglas A. Engel, Former Vice Chairman and Manufacturing Industry Practice Leader, Deloitte; Chris Knuffman, Lean Manufacturing Champion, Quincy Compressor (2006 Award Winner); Larry Lapide, Ph.D., Director, Demand Management, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics; Paul E. Martin, Global Chief Information Officer, Rexam Plc (2005 Award Winner); Bruce McKay, Executive Vice President, Livingston & Haven (2007 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year); Scott Mingus, Global Director, New Project Development, Glatfelter (2007 Award Winner); Eric Middelstadt, CEO, The National Council of Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM); James A. Robbins, Partner, Accenture Industrial Equipment Practice; Maureen Steinwall, President, Steinwall Inc. (2006 Award Winner); and Steven Vidakovic, Ph.D., Technology and Knowledge Integration, Global Supply Chain, Pfizer Inc. (2007 Award Winner).

Judges evaluated and scored nominated projects based on the following criteria: project scope, business impact, customer impact, technology use and scale. Progressive Manufacturing 50 winners were the companies receiving the highest total scores in their respective categories.

Check out the list of 2008 winners here!

"This new crop of Progressive Manufacturing winners reflects the amazing creativity and determination alive today in the manufacturing community," said David R. Brousell, Editor-in-Chief of Managing Automation. "These companies are taking bold steps to rethink their business models and processes, their relationships with customers and partners, and to create new advantages for themselves in business speed and value. In doing so, they are positioning their organizations for greater success now and in the years ahead."

“AddisonMckee is delighted to have been recognized in such an esteemed way for its recent Lean Manufacturing Implementation project”, comments AddisonMckee President Joe Eramo. Eramo further added, “Given the recent downturn in economic and market conditions, the efficiency gains and cost reduction measures resulting from our strategic lean efforts could not have been realized at a better time. This project transformed our operation from a classic push manufacturer with excess WIP into a pull organization providing reduced lead times to our customers, improved workflow for our associates, and lower working capital requirements benefiting the bottom line. This award is a tribute to our associates and the countless hours they have committed to re-engineering our organization as part of our continuous improvement initiative”.

AddisonMckee Director of Global Marketing, Christian Rogiers, comments “As the clear leader in the tube manipulation market, we have become internationally-renowned for the design, manufacture and supply of some of the world’s finest automated tube bending and end-forming technologies. We also sincerely hope that in achieving Progressive Manufacturing Awards status, we are able to further assure customers old and new of the wisdom of their investment in AddisonMckee and our advanced automated work cell technologies.

The Progressive Manufacturing 50 award winners will be honored and presented with their awards at the Progressive Manufacturing Black Tie Gala to be held on the last day of the 2008 Progressive Manufacturing Summit, June 10-12, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. More than 175 manufacturing technology executives are expected to attend. In addition to presenting the awards to the Progressive Manufacturing 50 winners, Managing Automation will also announce at the Gala Dinner High Achievers in each of the 8 disciplines as well as the 2008 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year.

“We look forward to recognizing and celebrating our winners in front of an audience of their peers across all facets of manufacturing at the Progressive Manufacturing Summit in Las Vegas this June,” said Managing Automation Publisher Heather Mikisch. “Winning this award is a tremendous honor that not only helps these manufacturers demonstrate their progress and success in the marketplace, but also sets them apart from the competition.”

About Managing Automation

Managing Automation, published by Thomas Publishing Company, LLC, provides a complete set of decision-support informational tools for progressive manufacturers – companies who are using information and automation technologies to transform their businesses and create a sustainable competitive advantage. Its monthly magazine, website, information technology comparison and match database, and executive conferences reach the entire integrated technology buying team – executives, line-of-business managers and IT management – at every stage of the technology buying process. Additional information can be found at www.managingautomation.com.

About AddisonMckee

2008 winners of Managing Automation magazine's Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards – a prestigious award based on an organization’s ability to use information and automation technologies to transform its business and create a sustainable competitive advantage – AddisonMckee is globally renowned for the design, manufacture and supply of some of the world's finest tube bending and end forming technologies - for increasingly complex automotive, aviation, truck and shipbuilding requirements.

In addition, AddisonMckee also offers highly innovative muffler and catalytic converter assembly solutions, hydraulic press machinery, tube inspection systems, plant automation and complete workcell integration.

In addition to these capabilities, a whole range of tooling and accessory options are also provided, as are comprehensive maintenance and service contracts, training and education programs and financial services. Where applicable, AddisonMckee is also able to offer customers the opportunity of machine rebuilds, refurbishment, upgrades and trade-ins.

From its state-of-the-art manufacturing centers in the USA, United Kingdom, Canada and China, AddisonMckee is committed to providing rapid solutions to market and also regularly assists clients in product prototyping, parts development, small production runs and pre-production sample development.

AddisonMckee is principally owned by WHI Capital Partners (WHICP), a Chicago-based private equity group that invests in middle market, industry-leading companies with solid financial fundamentals and proven management teams. WHICP is an affiliate of William Harris Investors, Inc., a family-based asset management firm founded by Irving B. Harris in 1987.

For further information please contact:

Rachel Thomas – BHL Marketing
E-mail: rachel@bhlmarketing.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1244 851850
Fax: +44 (0) 1244 851888

Christian Rogiers – AddisonMckee
E-mail: crogiers@addisonmckee.com
Tel: +1 513 228 7076
Fax: +1 513 228 7226