Advanced Green Components, LLC Celebrates Grand Opening

Advanced Green Components, LLC today celebrated its grand opening at its facility in Winchester, Ky. Advanced Green Components is a manufacturing joint venture between The Timken Company in Canton, Ohio and Sanyo Specialty Steel Co., Ltd. and Showa Seiko Co., Ltd., both of Japan. "We consider ourselves privileged to be a member of the Winchester-area business community," said Thomas F. Lucas, president -- Advanced Green Components. "Since our joint venture was formed in June 2002, the contributions of our three partners -- Timken, Sanyo and Seiko -- have provided the platform to make us more competitive in the international marketplace while providing additional opportunities for our associates and the local community. Today, we celebrate our grand opening and look forward to many more years as a Winchester business partner." Advanced Green Components associates, their families, partner company representatives and local government and community representatives attended the grand opening. The celebration included plant tours, a tree-planting ceremony and welcoming remarks from Hiroki Sasaki, president -- Sanyo Specialty Steel Co., Ltd., Masahito Ueno, president -- Showa Seiko Co., Ltd. and James W. Griffith, president and chief executive officer -- The Timken Company. Formed in June 2002, Advanced Green Components produces hot forged, cold forged and machined rings used in the manufacture of bearings. The facility employs approximately 120 associates and is made up of 117,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Headquartered in Himeji, Japan, Sanyo Specialty Steel Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of high-quality bearing steels and reported 2002 sales of U.S. $683 million. Showa Seiko Co., Ltd. is a metal working business that specializes in the forging, forming and machining of bearing and automotive components. Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, it reported 2002 sales of U.S. $50 million.