TKR Timken Co

The Timken Company (NYSE:TKR) announced today that use of the Timken� StatusCheck� wireless condition monitoring system enabled ACP Manufacturing Co. LLC to realize a savings of more than $1 million by avoiding unscheduled downtime in the first 10 months of using the system. ACP, which manufactures automotive suspension parts such as control arms and steering knuckles, used Timken�s wireless monitoring system to avert unplanned shutdowns at a 10-year-old plant in Lawrence Township, Pa. The StatusCheck system is designed to detect and monitor excessive levels of vibration and temperature in bearings, gearboxes, electric motors and other industrial machines. The system monitors equipment and transmits electronic warnings of maintenance issues that could cause machinery to malfunction. "StatusCheck has helped us significantly improve our operating efficiency, and the impact on our profitability is clear," said Robert Harter, vice president of manufacturing for ACP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Metals America Ltd. "We are so pleased with the results of using StatusCheck that our owner, Hitachi Metals America, is considering installing it in its other plants in the United States." ACP installed the StatusCheck system to monitor pollution control equipment in the plant's bag-house area in July 2006. The equipment is critical to maintaining compliance with environmental regulations. "We have been able to identify nine 'saves' of a plant shutdown and two of a manufacturing line in the first 10 months of our use of StatusCheck," said Rodney Reed, the plant's maintenance manager. ACP defines "saves" as incidents when a problem was averted before it could cause unscheduled downtime. The StatusCheck alerts enabled ACP to schedule maintenance at a time when it did not disrupt the manufacturing cycle. Additionally, ACP has been using Timken's hand-held bearing testers to verify proper installation and lubrication of bearings on individual machines. That equipment has saved ACP approximately 700 hours and counting," Reed said. "We're letting the technology guide us to what we need to do to maintain our equipment and prevent downtime." �For several years now, ACP has been working with Kaman Industrial Technologies to help identify ways to improve production and reduce costs,� said Bob Tuton, Kaman Professional Account Manager. �When they asked for Kaman's assistance, we helped Timken introduce them to StatusCheck as a resource that could aid them in reaching their goal. Today, ACP's success is a tremendous example of two companies working together for the benefit of the customer.� Daniel Szoch, product manager for Timken, said helping customers maximize equipment uptime drives Timken's innovation and development of new products. "Wireless monitoring is relatively new and part of our growing product offering aimed at improving customer performance. Clearly, this investment paid off for ACP, and when our customers benefit, so do we." About ACP Manufacturing Co. LLC ACP Manufacturing Co. LLC, located in Lawrence Township, Pennsylvania, is a state-of-the-art metal casting facility dedicated to producing world class quality ductile iron. Products include steering knuckles, spindles, control arms, trailing arms, links suspension and engine-related bracketry. ACP, or Automotive Casting Products, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Metals America Ltd. Now entering its fourth decade of operations in the United States, Hitachi Metals' main business lines are castings, steel-related products, magnetic products and electronic materials. Manufactured primarily in the United States with some portion supplied from overseas facilities, these products are sold mainly to the automotive, steel, telecommunications, computer and consumer products industries. Hitachi is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Hitachi Metals Ltd. About Kaman Industrial Technologies Kaman Industrial Technologies is a subsidiary of Kaman Corp. (NASDAQ:KAMN) of Bloomfield, Conn., which conducts business in the aerospace, industrial distribution and music markets. Kaman Industrial Technologies provides products and high value-added technical services from nearly 200 locations to customers in virtually every North American industry. Based in Windsor, Conn., the company offers more than one million individual items in seven product categories: bearings, power transmission, electrical/electronic drive, fluid power, material handling, linear motion and accessory items. For more information, visit www.kamandirect.com. About The Timken Company The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR, http://www.timken.com) keeps the world turning, with innovative friction management and power transmission products and services, enabling our customers to perform faster and more efficiently. With sales of $5.0 billion in 2006, operations in 26 countries and approximately 25,000 employees, Timken is Where You Turn� for better performance.