Several thousand employees of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company celebrated their receipt of the coveted Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing in events today at the company's Fort Worth plant.

The Shingo Prize is considered the premier manufacturing award and recognition program available to manufacturers in North America. Aeronautics is the largest single company and the first aerospace prime contractor ever to receive the award.

Lockheed Martin earned the award for several outstanding achievements, including substantial progress in implementing lean manufacturing principles in the production of the F-16, F-22 and Japan F-2 fighter aircraft. Other award criteria included the company's successful partnering with customers and suppliers, application of innovative product development and manufacturing technologies, effective deployment of the company's strategic business plan and constructive employee communications.

"This recognition culminates many years of diligent effort by the employees of our Fort Worth unit, who have consistently pursued continuous improvement and customer satisfaction in every aspect of our operations," said Dain M. Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. "The award further validates that we are making steady progress on a credible path toward reaching our goal of being recognized as the best military aircraft company in the world."

The Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing was established in 1988 to promote world-class manufacturing. It is administered by the College of Business of Utah State University in partnership with the National Association of Manufacturers. Only a few companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico receive the prize each year.

The Shingo Prize is named after the late Japanese industrial scientist Dr. Shigeo Shingo, co-inventor of the Toyota production system. Shingo Prize examiners are drawn from companies throughout North America for their experience and expertise in lean manufacturing. The Shingo Prize is considered one of the "triple crown" of industrial excellence awards, along with the Baldrige Award and the Deming Prize.

Lockheed Martin representatives formally accepted the award on May 11 at the 12th annual Shingo Prize conference and award ceremony in Milwaukee, Wis. The plant celebration was the company's way of sharing the award with all employees and recognizing the contribution of every individual in achieving it.

"The Shingo Prize is the only award program in the world that focuses on a company's ability to eliminate waste within its manufacturing processes," said Dr. Ross E. Robson, executive director of the Shingo Prize organization, in his remarks at the plant celebration. "The Shingo Prize examination team was truly impressed with Fort Worth's commitment not only to deliver customers the best aircraft, but deliver the best value as well."

This is the second major manufacturing award received by Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant within the last two years. In October 1998, Industry Week magazine honored the operation in the magazine's annual list of North America's 10 Best Plants.

"Awards of this type are important for employee morale and pride, but they also send a strong message to our customers, especially when we demonstrate that we have the ability to win them consistently," Hancock said. "These honors rate us as a superior, world-class manufacturing facility, and you can bet we will mention them in our proposal for the new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft when we submit it in the fall."

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Products include the F-16, F-22, F-117, C-5, C-130, C-27J, U-2, X-33 and Joint Strike Fighter, among other renowned aircraft. The company is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation , headquartered in Bethesda, Md.

For more information on the Shingo Prize, visit: http://www.shingoprize.org/.

For information on Lockheed Martin Corporation, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/.

For information on Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, visit: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company