Freudenberg Simrit LP Earns Pattonair Gold Standard Award

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of its outstanding delivery and quality performance, Freudenberg Simrit LP, the U.K. sister company of Plymouth, Mich.-based Simrit,  was recently awarded the Pattonair Gold Standard Award for supplier excellence during Pattonair's annual supplier conference. This is the first time Freudenberg Simrit LP has received this award. Simrit is one of only two seal suppliers to be recognized for gold standard performance.

Pattonair, the supply chain business of Umeco plc, is a leading global aerospace and defense service provider, with locations in Asia, Europe and North America. Pattonair's Gold Standard Award, which is presented every six months, recognizes the company's 12 best suppliers that provide outstanding performance. Freudenberg Simrit LP has supplied O-rings to Pattonair for the past five years.

"It's a great honor to be recognized by Pattonair for our dedication to providing superior products and services," said Stuart Campton, sales director, Europe aerospace and semicon, Simrit. "At Simrit, we strive to offer exceptional customer service, as well as quality products that impeccably fit our customers' needs."

"This award is another milestone in Simrit's global journey," said Vinay Nilkanth, vice president of global sales, aerospace and semicon, Simrit. "We look forward to continuing our commitment to excellence and hope to expand our product line offering to Pattonair as they expand on their commodity sourcing plans."

"There is no longer a place in aerospace supply chains for poor performing suppliers and we need to be as demanding of our supply chain as our customers are of us," said Ian Tumanow, supply chain development director, Pattonair. "The Gold Standard Award was established to recognize our suppliers for business excellence. We thank Simrit for the first-class performance it has delivered to our company during 2009."  

Freudenberg Simrit LP is the U.K. sister company to the Simrit Division based at Freudenberg-NOK's headquarters in Plymouth, Mich. The Simrit Division is part of the Freudenberg and NOK Group, which has total annual sales of more than $12 billion. Simrit offers an extensive portfolio of sealing solutions for the aerospace, appliance, energy, heavy duty truck, industrial, marine, mobile machinery, recreational vehicle and semiconductor markets. For more information, visit the Simrit website at www.simrit.com.

Umeco is a leading innovator in distribution and supply chain management to the aerospace and defense industries, harnessing new methods for enhancing its customers' performance and profitability. Umeco also has significant manufacturing interests in advanced composite materials for a growing range of applications in its core aerospace and defense markets and in other high performance technology industries such as motor sport, automotive and wind energy.

Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Umeco had revenue from continuing operations of GBP415.3 million in the year to 31 March 2009. Umeco is managed through two business streams:

- Umeco Composites - a provider of a complete range of advanced composite materials principally to the aerospace, motor sport, automotive and wind energy markets. Customers include Boeing, Airbus, BAE Systems, manufacturers of wind turbine blades, a number of manufacturers of high performance super cars and Formula 1 teams including Team McLaren Mercedes.

- Umeco Supply Chain - a leading international provider of value-added distribution and supply chain outsourcing services to customers in the aerospace & defense market. With its specialization in the supply of small and medium value components and sophisticated IT systems, its growing global customer base can enjoy significant operational, cost and working capital benefits. Customers include Rolls-Royce plc, BAE Systems, Safran Group, Parker Aerospace, Goodrich, Thales Aerospace, Turbomeca, ATK, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Department of Defense.

SOURCE Freudenberg Simrit LP