CKC Collins & Aikman Corp

Collins & Aikman Earns IndustryWeek's Annual 10 Best North American Manufacturing Plants Award TROY, Mich., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Collins & Aikman Corporation (NYSE:CKC) announced today that its Williamston, Michigan operations have been honored by IndustryWeek, a leading manufacturing management magazine, as a winning facility in the publication's fifteenth annual 10 Best Plants competition. This is the seventh Collins & Aikman facility to earn this prestigious award in the last four years. "It is an honor to be recognized for setting and exceeding the standards in manufacturing excellence, not only for the competitive automotive industry, but for North American manufacturing as a whole," commented David Stockman, Collins & Aikman's chairman and chief executive officer. "This award underscores the dedication of Collins & Aikman's employees, whose intense focus on continuous improvement provides world-class products for our customers." Collins & Aikman's Williamston Operations employ over 180 individuals who produce quality blow-molded, soft trim automotive components including headrests, armrests and console covers primarily for DaimlerChrysler and Ford vehicles. Specifically, the Williamston facility was recognized for pioneering advancements in the blow-molding manufacturing processes and achieving a five year 100% on-time delivery rate. Collins and Aikman will receive a commemorative award at ceremonies tentatively scheduled for October. The honor recognizes world-class manufacturing capabilities and a management mindset of continuous improvement. The plant was one of more than 400 facilities nominated between October 2003 and March 2004. Profiles of each winning plant will be featured in an upcoming issue of IndustryWeek magazine. "This year's class of winners have raised the bar of excellence in manufacturing today," said Patricia Panchak, IndustryWeek's Editor-in-Chief. "Their winning strategies demonstrate what it takes to achieve world-class performance. IndustryWeek is proud to celebrate the winners' success and share their stories." Other Collins & Aikman facilities that have previously earned the IndustryWeek 10 Best Plants award include: Guelph Operations - Guelph, ON, instrument panels and cockpit assemblies, 2003 Americus Operations - Americus, GA; exterior trim, 2002 Athens Operations - Athens, Tenn; instrument panels, door panels and consoles, 2002 Rantoul Operations - Rantoul, IL; instrument panels and plastic components, 2002 Port Huron Operations - Port Huron, Mich; instrument panels, door panels, 2001 Saltillo Operations - Saltillo, Mexico; interior and exterior trim, 2001 Collins & Aikman Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global leader in cockpit modules and automotive floor and acoustic systems and is a leading supplier of instrument panels, automotive fabric, plastic-based trim, and convertible top systems. The Company's current operations span the globe through 16 countries, more than 100 facilities and nearly 24,000 employees who are committed to achieving total excellence. Collins & Aikman's high-quality products combine superior design, styling and manufacturing capabilities with NVH "quiet" technologies that are among the most effective in the industry. Information about Collins & Aikman is available on the Internet at http://www.collinsaikman.com/ . DATASOURCE: Collins & Aikman Corporation CONTACT: Media Inquiries: David A. Youngman, Director Corporate Communications, +1-248-824-1562, , or Investor Inquiries: Robert Krause, Vice President and Treasurer, Head of Investor Relations, +1-248-733-4355, , both of Collins & Aikman Corporation Web site: http://www.collinsaikman.com/

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