XTech named Shingo Prize winner for Lean Manufacturing Excellence

Randolph, MA — XTech, also known as Extrusion Technology, a worldwide leader in customized and standard solutions for electronic mechanical systems, has been awarded a Bronze Medallion in the 2008 Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence.

The Shingo Prize is based on the lean management model taught by Shigeo Shingo. A management consultant and a practicing engineer, Shingo described three levels of business improvement and transformation: Principles, Systems, and Tools & Techniques. Since it was first awarded 20 years ago, the Shingo Prize has become known as the premier manufacturing award recognition program for North America.

"Shingo understood that true innovation is not achieved by the random or isolated use of tools and techniques, but instead requires a thorough understanding of underlying lean principles across the entire manufacturing operation," said Reinhold Hesse, CEO and President of XTech. "We have worked hard to implement Lean principles throughout our organization and are extremely honored to have been cited by the Shingo Prize committee."

The Shingo Prize emphasizes the value of using lean/world-class manufacturing practices to attain world-class status. The ultimate goal of a lean organization is the integration of lean philosophy across the enterprise and its value streams to create a complete, systemic view, leading to consistent achievement of business results. A Shingo Prize recipient is expected to have applied lean Principles at the highest level in most aspects of all of its business processes: Product/Service Development, Customer Relations, Operations, Supply, and Management.

About XTech
Headquartered in Randolph, Massachusetts with offices worldwide, including a new manufacturing facility in Xiamen, China, XTech (also known as Extrusion Technology) is an innovative and leading manufacturer of mechanical solutions for circuit board mounting systems. XTech enclosures and front panels are used widely throughout the electronics, telecommunications, GPS, wireless equipment, and networking industries. XTech clients include many of the leading telecom OEMs, such as Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola, Juniper Networks, Emerson, Ciena, and others. Founded in 1945, XTech is privately held.

Contacts:
Rick Winter Director, Sales and Marketing Extrusion Technology 781-963-7200, ext. 112 rwinter@extrutech.com	Bob Boucher VP, Creative Services, Cole & Co., Inc. 617-236-4699 bobb@cole-co.com