Milacron Scores Zero Defects in QS9000/TE Quality Audit

CINCINNATI, OHIO, November 5, 2003...Milacron's (NYSE: MZ) commitment to continuous quality improvement has achieved a rare milestone - zero non-conformances in the latest QS9000/TE semi-annual audit of its main manufacturing plants in Batavia and Mt. Orab, Ohio.  The audit was conducted by Underwriters Laboratories' quality assessment division.

"This clearly demonstrates the commitment throughout Milacron to strengthening our core capabilities and achieving vital quality improvement," said Ronald D. Brown, chairman, president and chief executive officer.  "It shows that our Six Sigma and Lean programs and other quality efforts are driving real continuous improvements to extend our leadership position among global plastic machinery manufacturers."

The improvement has come despite very difficult times for all plastics machinery manufacturers - the worst slump in industry history, stressed Jay Woerner, vice president, global manufacturing and sourcing.  "This is a tremendous accomplishment by our entire organization," he said.  "We've aggressively improved and expanded our quality processes and pared away our non-conformances, even while enduring restructurings and reductions through this severe and extended downturn."

Besides UL's official audit report, noted Woerner, the lead auditor commented that he has been recommending Milacron to other companies as an operation to benchmark.  "As a competitive organization that believes in benchmarking, we take a lot of pride in this kind of recognition by an independent, outside authority," he said.

According to Ken Cenci, manager for continuous improvement, the southwest Ohio manufacturing operations have received a steadily diminishing number of non-conformances each audit - from 30 non-conformances two audits ago, to six the last time, and now zero.

However, he never expected a perfect score.  "Non-conformances are usually for minor issues that are quickly corrected," noted Cenci.  "That also makes them difficult to eliminate totally, especially given the scope and variety of our operations - two large manufacturing facilities, multiple product lines, and highly complex machine products built on flexible make-to-order scheduling."

Adding further challenge, the Milacron facilities are audited for especially demanding QS-9000/TE compliance, said Cenci.  The TE designation applies to companies that produce tooling and equipment used by others in automotive manufacturing.  It imposes a higher level of requirements than the widely held ISO 9000 certification, he pointed out.

The audit result demonstrates the soundness of Milacron's quality processes, but is not just a quality department accomplishment, stressed Larry Evans, quality systems coordinator.  "This is not really an audit of details, but more the extent and progress of continuous improvement activity - the strong participation and commitment throughout the organization. The auditor was here for five days.  Everywhere he went, every single plant and office area, he heard about the lean and continuous improvements that have been put in place."  Evans cited as examples the many individual ideas submitted under the Quest suggestion program, dozens of improvements accomplished through the kaizen event process, long lists of action Items addressed, and major advances by the Six Sigma program.

"Zero non-conformances isn't a goal or an end," cautioned Cenci. "Continuous improvement is a journey. We must stay leaner and work smarter to keep our American-made machines a strong buy.  This audit showed we're on the right track with our lean and quality initiatives.  We just need to keep doing more of the things we've been doing right."

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First incorporated in 1884, Milacron is a leading global supplier of plastics-processing technologies and industrial fluids, with about 3,500 employees and major manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia.  For further information, visit www.milacron.com or call the toll-free investor line: 800-909-MILA (800-909-6452).