CANTON, OH — Timken was recently awarded the 2006 Partnership Award for Outstanding Service and Support by the National Pronto Association at its annual shareholders conference and expo held recently near Dallas, TX. This was the first time the Pronto organization has presented the award to a first-year supplier. Timken provides a full line of automotive hub units, bearings and seals to the U.S. aftermarket through the Pronto distributor network.

Timken received the award as the result of a polling of Pronto members, who judged suppliers on the basis of five criteria: assistance with membership growth, customer service, sales representation, order fill percentage rate and overall profitability.

“This award is particularly gratifying as the winner was determined by the Pronto membership. This also was the first time in Pronto’s history that the award was presented to a first-year supplier,” said Jack Cameron, general manager, automotive aftermarket, North and South America. “This award validates our ongoing commitment to enhance Pronto’s performance through our total solutions approach to friction management to deliver unparalleled value.”

Pronto members voted to make Timken their preferred supplier of hub units, bearings and seals in July 2005.

“Timken is one of our best name-brand preferred suppliers,” said Bill Maggs, president of the National Pronto Association. “They are an excellent company to deal with from top to bottom.”

Randy Buller, president of the family-owned Parts Authority network of warehouses in New York, said the Timken brand has enabled him to nearly double sales of bearings and seals.

“The reputation of Timken’s products is excellent,” Buller said. “The company also has been quite innovative in their marketing techniques. In addition, Timken products have consistently been competitively priced.”