Four Companies Join MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing Partnership.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) Program has announced that four leading operations companies from the automotive, pharmaceutical, electronics, and networking sectors have joined the program as industry partners. They include Cisco Systems, a provider of networking for the Internet; Novartis, devoted to research and development of health care products; Flextronics, an Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider; and American Axle & Manufacturing, which designs, engineers, and manufactures driveline systems.

These firms will join over 30 LFM member companies that partner with MIT faculty, students, and alumni to develop cutting-edge research and evolve LFM's prestigious two-year, dual degree graduate program.

"These new companies will greatly strengthen the LFM partnership," said Don Rosenfield, director of the LFM Fellows Program. "They represent important industries and each is at the forefront in addressing the challenges of a global world. The students and faculty are all looking forward to long-term, rewarding relationships."

The new member companies cite various reasons for becoming LFM partners.

"To survive and prosper in the brutally competitive and increasingly global automotive industry, American Axle needs dynamic and aggressive leaders who are both technically competent and business savvy. We have had a long standing association with LFM for several years and we wanted to make that association even stronger," said Richard F. Dauch, EVP Worldwide Manufacturing and an LFM '92 graduate.

Flextronics, a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider that is headquartered in Singapore, helps customers design, build, ship, and service electronics products through a network of facilities in over 30 countries on five continents. "Because Flextronics is one of the largest and most complex manufacturing companies in the world, we need access to future executives who can manage massive complexity in an increasingly dynamic environment," said Michael McNamara, Flextronic's Chief Executive Officer. "We believe the LFM program is top notch because it concentrates on creating the best manufacturing executives of the future," he added.

The Vice President of Cisco Systems' Manufacturing Technology Group, James R. Miller, said, "As the global market continues to evolve, companies must continue to invest in manufacturing technology to remain competitive. We are excited to participate in this cutting-edge program that connects academia and leading industry executives. Our partnership with LFM gives us unparalleled access to a forum for thought leadership and innovation in manufacturing technology."

Flextronics' Michael McNamara and Cisco's James Miller are also scheduled to speak at a conference on the impact of globalization on manufacturing and new product development, co-sponsored by LFM, MIT's System Design and Manufacturing Program, and MIT's Industrial Liaison Program. The conference will be held at MIT on December 6-7, 2006.

ABOUT LFM: MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) program, created in 1988 in response to the need for U.S. companies to become more competitive, is a collaboration among MIT Sloan School of Management, MIT School of Engineering, and industry partners. LFM students, graduates, and partners research and implement principles of manufacturing excellence to drive global socio-economic prosperity. The LFM program offers future leaders the opportunity to earn, in only two years, an MBA or Master of Science in Management as well as a Master of Science in one of eight participating engineering programs. LFM's corporate partners provide generous fellowships for all students. To learn more, visit http://lfm.mit.edu.