Timken Named to Top 50 Supplier List by Automotive Industries

The Timken Company was recently named one of the "Fab Fifty Suppliers" by Automotive Industries, a monthly publication providing global news coverage of the automotive industry. The "Fab Fifty Suppliers" were selected via the publication's Sixth Annual Quest for Excellence survey, which polls readers to determine the industries' best performing suppliers. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991012/TKRLOGO ) "Readers rated suppliers in five areas -- quality, innovation, price, delivery and service/support," said John Dix, vice president - business development - automotive. "It is particularly satisfying to see Timken rated highly in those areas by readers from the automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) community." The survey was open only to OEM readers to prevent suppliers and other audiences from skewing the survey results. More than 1,000 readers rated the performance of 300 companies. Timken, which also received the same honor in 2000, was the only bearing manufacturer named to the list. Automotive Industries is a monthly publication devoted to providing global coverage for all aspects of the automobile marketplace, with an emphasis on the people, products and processes that shape the industry. Each month, Automotive Industries provides more than 70,000 manufacturers and suppliers with in-depth news, information, insight and analysis on the global events that affect the automotive industry. The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR) ( www.timken.com ) is a leading international manufacturer of highly engineered bearings, alloy and specialty steels and components, and a provider of related products and services. Following its February 2003 acquisition of The Torrington Company, Timken employs 28,000 people worldwide in operations in 29 countries. In 2002, the combined companies had sales of approximately $3.8 billion.