SEATTLE, Nov. 8, 1996 -- Boeing Commercial Airplane Group announced today that five suppliers have been honored for quality performance in 1996. Winning this year's "President's Award for Excellence" are:

• Allfast Fastening Systems, Inc., City of Industry, Calif.
• Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems, Inc., Shelby, N. C.
• Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd., Aerospace Division, Utsunomiya, Japan
• PECO Manufacturing Co., Inc., Portland, Ore.
• University Swaging Corporation, Seattle, Wash.

Boeing Commercial Airplane Group President Ron Woodard paid tribute to the honored suppliers for supporting Boeing business plan goals and adding value to satisfy airline customers. In praising the winners of the award, he said: "We commend this select group of companies that put in long days to supply Boeing with superior service, outstanding products and innovative ideas. Our winners go beyond what's expected so we can deliver what our customers expect -- the very best jetliners in the world.

"These five special companies, who hail from around the globe, contribute to every member of the Boeing family from the flagship 747 to the Next-Generation 737 that debuts in one month."

In congratulating winners of the annual award, Materiel Division Vice President and General Manager Gerry Kearns added: "These companies are working together with us for world-class practices to benefit our airline customers. As a part of our supplier family, it's an honor to recognize these companies, their employees and all their hard work."

The Boeing Commercial Airplane Group President's Award for Excellence began in 1988.

Fact Sheet

Boeing Commercial Airplane Group salutes quality performance by bestowing its annual "President's Award for Excellence" for 1996 on five companies. Receiving the award, which began in 1988, are:

Allfast Fastening Systems, Inc. - City of Industry, Calif.
This company is honored for its outstanding product support and 100 percent zero rejections since January 1995. Allfast Fastening Systems provides solid rivets, blind rivets and riveting tools for the family of Boeing Commercial Airplane Group products. This California-based firm applies the Boeing Advanced Quality System to all products it provides to Boeing. Allfast was the first Boeing supplier to embrace the Accelerated Improvement Workshop to implement lean manufacturing required for world-class success. Allfast provides products for all Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767 and 777 airplanes.

Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems, Inc. - Shelby, N.C.
Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems, a Boeing supplier for 30 years, is a second-time recipient of the President's Award for Excellence, having won the award in 1989. This diverse, multinational concern of precision components and systems is acknowledged for its quality, customer focus and technical support. Most recently, this company was recognized for its on-time delivery and competitive pricing of a quality product to support the Next-Generation 737-700 trailing edge flap transmissions program. Curtiss-Wright provides Boeing with transmission assemblies, leading edge rotary actuators, trailing edge rotary actuators and trailing edge position sensor gear boxes.

Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd., Aerospace Division - Utsunomiya, Japan
Boeing honors Fuji Heavy Industries, Aerospace Division, for its continuous commitment to support the Boeing key measures for world-class business success in a global economy. Fuji has embraced the Boeing Advanced Quality System and continues to explore new applications of process control in the products it supplies to Boeing. Fuji has supplied major components for all current Boeing airplane models, including wing-to-body fairings, main landing gear doors, wing center sections, spoilers, ailerons, elevators and flaps. Specifically, Fuji completed the production of the first Next-Generation 737-700 elevators with no rejection. A 20-year supplier to Boeing, Fuji provides products for the 737, 747, 757, 767 and 777.

PECO Manufacturing Co., Inc. - Portland, Ore.
Boeing identified PECO Manufacturing Co.'s commitment to world-class practices, including just-in-time deliveries, as its winning attribute. PECO provides the passenger service units, the overhead units in the passenger cabin that include reading lights, fasten-seat-belt signs and air outlets. PECO has instituted programs focused on reducing cycle time and costs. For example, PECO has shipped the 737/757 passenger service units just-in-time -- without delay or rejection -- since 1993. PECO also was acknowledged for its excellent record of providing engineering support to Boeing assembly lines, responding to short flow changes, and maintaining schedule integrity and product quality.

University Swaging Corporation - Seattle, Wash.
University Swaging Corporation, a 30-year supplier to Boeing, provides "swaged" mechanical rods and flight cables used in control systems throughout the airplane. For example, these assemblies are used in the leading and trailing edge of the wing, landing gear wheel-well doors, and in the installation of galleys, lavatories and stowbins. Swaging, a metal-forming process that saves time and material, is a specialized type of forging. Over the last five years, University Swaging neared 100 percent performance in quality and delivery. Boeing recognized University Swaging for developing long-term relationships with its detail suppliers to ensure a smooth working relationship. Also, the Boeing Customer Services organization acknowledged University Swaging for its quality, on-time delivery of "airplane-on-ground" orders and spare parts support.