MILTON, Ga., March 25, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exide Technologies (Nasdaq:XIDE) (www.exide.com), a global leader in stored electrical-energy solutions, received a 2009 Supplier Diversity Special Recognition Award for its diversity program from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA). Each year, TEMA recognizes suppliers who have exceeded the company's expectations in key performance areas.
The award was presented to Exide at the TEMA 14th Annual Supplier Business Meeting (ABM) held on March 9 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Kentucky. The ABM brings together approximately 800 attendees from across North America to discuss business objectives with suppliers for TEMA's upcoming fiscal year.
Exide has been a supplier of original equipment automotive starting batteries to Toyota since 1988, supplying the automotive manufacturer products for its North American-produced Avalon, Camry, Corolla, and Matrix cars, Venza crossover sedans, Highlander and Sequoia sport-utility vehicles and Tundra trucks.
Exide Technologies is a global business organized to serve the complex stored energy systems needs of its customers. Key strengths of the Company are that its products and services span global markets and geographic borders, melding significant bases of experience and technology expertise from its Transportation, Industrial Energy and ReStore Energy Systems divisions. To that end, Exide recognizes that every community where the Company conducts business is different.
"It takes a solid matrix of partnerships to support the growth of our business at Exide Technologies, and we take relationships one step further by cultivating partnerships with a diverse group of suppliers – a network that forms the basis of our Supplier Diversity initiative," said Bruce Cole, President - Transportation Americas for Exide Technologies. "We're honored to be recognized by TEMA for our Supplier Diversity efforts – an initiative that reflects the rich diversity of our customers and employees around the world. As a global provider of stored electrical energy products and services, what we buy at our Company affects what we do. And we know the performance of our suppliers can directly influence our own performance. No matter where in the world we do business, Exide benefits from diverse suppliers who add value to our business and to important customers like Toyota."
Toyota collectively spent nearly $25 billion on parts, goods and services last year in North America. In the U.S. alone, there are approximately 63,000 supplier jobs across 38 states dedicated to Toyota.
"As Toyota redoubles its efforts to improve quality, our suppliers' commitment to flexibility and continuous improvement is crucial to Toyota now more than ever," said Tetsuo Agata, TEMA president. "Our supplier partners are working with us to assure the best possible product for our customers."
About Exide Technologies
Exide Technologies, with operations in more than 80 countries, is one of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. The Company's four global business groups -- Transportation Americas, Transportation Europe and Rest of World, Industrial Energy Americas and Industrial Energy Europe and Rest of World -- provide a comprehensive range of stored electrical energy products and services for industrial and transportation applications.
Transportation markets include original-equipment and aftermarket automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural and marine applications, and new technologies for hybrid vehicles and automotive applications. Industrial markets include network power applications such as telecommunications systems, electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power related) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and motive-power applications including lift trucks, mining and other commercial vehicles.
Further information about Exide, including its financial results, are available at www.exide.com.
The Exide Technologies logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5067