Gates Elizabethtown Plant Receives Key Awards

The Gates power transmission facility and its employees in Elizabethtown, Ky. were named recipients of a key supplier award in May from long-time, valued customer Harley-Davidson for participation in the company’s Supplier Continuous Improvement Process. The award recognizes excellence in broad business management, quality, cost, delivery, technology and continuous improvement. Elizabethtown employees were honored for exceeding all performance improvement goals and best-in-class metrics established by Harley-Davidson.

In acknowledging the performance by the Elizabethtown facility, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Materials Management Paul Wiers noted, "Gates exceeded all performance improvement goals and best-in-class metrics established by Harley-Davidson. The company demonstrated truly outstanding performance.”

Tribby Warfield, President of Gates Commercial North America, said, "This is a great achievement for the Elizabethtown facility, and I can tell you all associates are very proud to be recognized for their performance and commitment to continuous improvement. We are thrilled to move forward with new growth projects with Harley-Davidson.”

The Elizabethtown plant recently had the distinction of receiving the first annual President’s Award for 2010 by Gates Corporation. This newly established award recognizes Gates manufacturing facilities in North America that make the most overall improvement over the prior year. The Elizabethtown plant reduced costs across the board while also increasing sales.

Ken Friedman, President of Gates Operations, presented the Gates award to Larry Brewer, Elizabethtown plant manager, in Denver, Colo., earlier this year. Joining in the presentation was Warfield and James McCoy, Vice President, North America Operations. A second presentation took place in Elizabethtown and included many of the plant’s 163 employees.

The Gates Elizabethtown facility produces recreational and industrial belts. In addition to Harley-Davidson, customers include Yamaha, Kawasaki and various industrial facilities worldwide. The plant is certified to the highest safety and quality standards through ISO 14001/18001 and TS16949.

Gates Corporation this year marks its 100^th anniversary, and celebrates its position as a world leader in engineering, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of industrial and automotive belt and hose products, systems, components and services. For more information on the Gates Centennial go to www.gates.com/100.

About Gates Corporation

Celebrating its 100^th anniversary in 2011, Gates Corporation (gates.com) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial and automotive products, systems and components with operations in 29 countries. Gates maintains sales and marketing operations in every major industrial and automotive market, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Gates is part of the Industrial & Automotive group of Tomkins Ltd., which is owned by a consortium comprising Onex Corporation and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Tomkins enjoys strong market positions and technical leadership across all of its business activities and owns some of the best-known brands in their respective markets.