Bayer Therban First Rubber Manufacturing Unit in U.S.A. to Receive QS-9000 Certification.

PITTSBURGH--(AutomotiveWire)--Sept. 28, 1999--

Bayer Corporation's Therban(R) HNBR manufacturing unit in Orange, Texas, has become the first rubber manufacturing plant in the United States, and the only HNBR manufacturer in the world, to receive the coveted QS-9000 certification.

"We're continually demonstrating our commitment to maintaining our leadership role in the rubber industry," said Brian McCue, Product Manager, Therban. "Achieving QS-9000 certification is our most customer-focused accomplishment to date. For the Therban business, it's indicative of our competitive edge -- in terms of product quality, testing and instrumentation, purchasing, operations, maintenance and more."

Therban's QS-9000 certification was awarded after a three-day audit of the unit's manufacturing process, strategic business planning and customer satisfaction during the first week of August. The audit followed a two-year preparation period that included a number of challenges -- the biggest of which was applying a standard designed for the manufacture of auto parts for, instead, a continuous rubber process. Therban HNBR, invented and patented by Bayer, is a specialty elastomer that gives products superior performance and durability in applications where extreme temperature, fuel, oil, ozone or abrasion exists.

"Really the biggest challenge of preparing for Therban's QS-9000 certification was making the certification apply to us," said Keith Blizzard, Manufacturing Manager, Therban. "There was no major expenditure on new equipment or process reengineering. Instead, the most involved part of the whole process was applying the standard to our business. The experience Bayer's NBR unit in Sarnia had gained in this area provided insight for us and was very helpful."

Bayer Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of the international group Bayer AG (Germany), received QS-9000 certification for its Butyl and BR plants in Sarnia in June 1999. Bayer Inc.'s NBR unit in Sarnia, which was the first rubber manufacturing facility worldwide to receive QS-9000 certification, received the updated third edition for the certification in June as well. Bayer Inc. is a research-based company with major businesses in life sciences and chemicals. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with a major manufacturing site in Sarnia, Ontario, Bayer Inc. employs more than 2,200.

Bayer Corporation is currently pursuing QS-9000 certification for its BR and Buna EP facilities in Orange, Texas, and its Rubber Chemicals facility in Bushy Park, South Carolina.

Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in health care and life sciences and chemicals. The company had 1998 sales of $8.1 billion and employs more than 23,000 people. Bayer Corporation is investing $15 billion in capital expenditures and research and development from 1995 through the year 2004. 1999 capital investment and R&D expenditures are projected to total $1.6 billion. Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $31 billion international life sciences, polymers and specialty chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany.