Exide Technologies has been recognized by Deere & Company for its outstanding supplier performance during Deere’s fiscal year 2001.

John Deere, the world’s leading producer of agricultural equipment and a leader in the production of equipment for construction, forestry and lawn and turf care, recently presented Exide with two prestigious ’Achieving Excellence’ awards -- one from the John Deere facility in Dubuque, IA, and the other from the John Deere operation in Davenport, IA. Both locations produce heavy construction equipment such as backhoes, motorgraders, log skidders, bulldozers and crawler tractors.

The Exide Technologies’ Manchester, IA, manufacturing facility supplies starting batteries for the John Deere heavy-duty equipment.

In addition to these awards, Exide Technologies also achieved ’Partner Supplier’ status for both John Deere Dubuque Works and John Deere Davenport Works. The Partner Supplier classification is the highest level in John Deere’s Achieving Excellence supplier program.

John Deere defines Partner Supplier status as a company that has exceeded Deere’s performance standards, reached world-class levels and has a high impact on the satisfaction levels of its customers. Of the 64 John Deere suppliers who qualified for the Achieving Excellenceaward, only seven performed at the level required to achieve the Partner Supplier classification recognition.

"John Deere builds its construction equipment to the highest degree of performance, reliability, comfort and environmental standards, and

these awards acknowledge that Exide Technologies’ products and services meet the exacting quality standards that John Deere customers expect," said Craig H. Muhlhauser, President and Chief Executive Officer of Exide Technologies.

Exide Technologies has been a supplier to John Deere for more than 40 years.