Lockheed Martin's facility in Archbald, PA, with products including laser-guided weapons systems for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, was selected today as winner of the 2005 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing.

Referred to by BusinessWeek magazine as the "Nobel prize of manufacturing," the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing is awarded annually to companies that demonstrate world-class business results through the implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles and practices. The prize is administered by The College of Business, Utah State University, in cooperation with several nonprofit and corporate organizations.

"We are very excited about receiving the Shingo Prize," said Cynthia Sailar, vice president and general manager in Archbald. "This award validates our dedication to manufacturing excellence and our commitment to bringing the best quality and value to our customers. We will continue and expand our culture of ongoing improvement to eliminate waste, drive profitability and maximize customer value. Our team is focused on serving our customers with quality products and solutions, delivered on time, at competitive prices. We are proud to be a recipient of the 2005 Shingo Prize for Manufacturing Excellence."

According to Shingo Prize Executive Director Ross Robson, this program is the only industrial excellence award that focuses on lean manufacturing or the elimination of waste. "Lockheed Martin in Archbald was selected for creating a business environment that empowers and motivates teammates to achieve business successes through continuous improvement. Their significant achievements accomplished as a result of utilizing Lean tools and world-class manufacturing practices and business processes have translated into excellent customer satisfaction and world-class business results," said Robson.

Lockheed Martin's Archbald facility is a dynamic, full-service supplier, providing industrial and U.S. Department of Defense customers high-technology systems, products and services. Products include laser-guided bomb kits and laser-guided training rounds, specialized instrumentation and control systems, and manufacturing services such as state-of-the-art metal crafting and electrical assembly. The 350,000-square-foot facility, located in northeastern Pennsylvania, employs more than 650 individuals engaged in the design, development, manufacture, testing and field supporting products for the U.S. Department of Defense, allied nations and industrial customers.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's facility in Archbald is the fourth Lockheed Martin program or facility recognized by the Shingo Prize Board of Governors. Previous Lockheed Martin winners include Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, located in Fort Worth, TX; Missiles and Fire Control's Pike County Operations located in Troy, AL; and Aeronautics' F-117 Nighthawk program located in Palmdale, CA. The competition is open each year to businesses in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Shingo Prize is named in honor of the late Dr. Shigeo Shingo, an engineering genius who helped create the Toyota Production System and other related lean manufacturing processes.

Awards will be presented at the 17th Annual Shingo Prize Conference and Awards Ceremony to be held the week of April 18 through 22, 2005 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, MI.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

        For more information about the Shingo Organization, visit:
                       http://www.shingoprize.org/ .

             For additional information, visit our web site:
                     http://www.lockheedmartin.com/ .

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin