Lear Honored by Toyota for Superior Supplier Diversity and Excellence in Quality

Lear was honored by Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) for its accomplishments in the areas of superior supplier diversity and excellence in quality. The awards were presented to Lear this week during the Annual TEMA Supplier Awards Ceremony.

With respect to supplier diversity, Lear was cited for its outstanding achievements in minority business development initiatives. The award specifically highlighted Lear’s joint venture with Reyes Automotive in San Antonio, Tex., which supplies the all-new Toyota Tundra pickup truck, as well as Lear’s work with Jackson Plastics, Inc. a diverse supplier of injection- molded plastic components to Toyota. This is the third consecutive year Lear has been recognized by Toyota for superior supplier diversity.

Additionally, Lear’s plant in Edinburgh, Ind., marked its sixth year in a row as an award recipient for excellence in quality to Toyota. While Edinburgh has the sole distinction for being honored each year, numerous Lear locations have been cited over the years for achieving Toyota’s rigid performance standards.

“Lear is strongly committed to both diversity and quality initiatives because we believe they are key elements in maintaining a competitive advantage in the automotive industry,” said Lear Chairman and CEO, Bob Rossiter. “Quality is an essential element to today’s discerning automotive consumers and a diverse supply base and workforce provide opportunities important to achieving our overall business objectives. We welcome the challenges set by Toyota and all our customers to consistently raise the bar in both these imperatives.”

Toyota’s annual business meeting and awards ceremony bring together the automaker’s approximately 500 North American suppliers to share expectations for the coming business year and to acknowledge those suppliers who have met Toyota’s highest standards in quality, delivery, diversity, technology/development and value improvement for parts and materials in 2006.