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News Release

Contact: Joe King, Office of Public Affairs
(815) 753-4299

November 1, 2005

NIU-BIS Coalition for Manufacturers
presents "Best Run Manufacturing Companies Award"

NAPERVILLE , Ill — Phil Moeller, president of Holland Company, a world leader in the field of railroad welding, has been selected as the first-ever recipient of the Best Run Manufacturing Companies Award by the NIU-BIS Coalition for Manufacturers.

“Phil Moeller and Holland Company were an excellent choice for this award because they are an example of the many Illinois manufacturers that have found ways to adapt and thrive in the changing global marketplace,” said Mary Rose Hennessy, executive director of Northern Illinois University Business and Industry Services (NIU-BIS).

Holland received high marks in all 15 categories used to evaluate potential winners.

“At Holland, Phil leads a very talented management team which has helped the organization achieve double-digit growth. Their profitability, quality and customer satisfaction scores continue to soar and the company consistently works on company-wide improvement, training, reward and recognition systems. They have a unique approach to team selling, a diverse workforce and incredible communication between their six divisions spread all over the country,” said Hennessy. “They are truly a model of how to succeed in the current business climate.”

The company, which is based in Crete, Ill., was founded in 1972 and today employs about 500 people. Hollandintroduced the railroad industry’s first self-propelled rail car that housed a portable welding machine—a significant innovation for rail line development and maintenance. More than 30 years later, the company is the world leader in the electric flash-butt welding of railroad lines. Holland also builds and sells equipment and mechanical components for rail cars and offers track testing, rail car cleaning and repair, and derailment cleanup services. Although the bulk of Holland Company’s welding business is performed in North America, Holland does business in 16 countries around the world.

“Companies that leave the area get a lot of attention, but the truth is that many manufacturers continue to thrive here in Illinois. Of the 800 members of the NIU-BIS Coalition for Manufacturers, most are doing well because they have adapted – they have created new product lines, cultivated new markets or taken advantage of technological innovations,” said Hennessy. “We hope this award brings some of those success stories to light and encourages other companies to take those steps.”

The NIU-BIS Coalition for Manufacturers was formed in 2002 to assist companies looking to innovate and adapt in the face of competition. The group’s mission is to maintain a strong and thriving manufacturing base in Illinois by joining the forces of education, manufacturers, and government to leverage strategic partnerships, and knowledge sharing to improve performance.

For more information on the NIU-BIS Coalition for Manufacturers, visit the web at www.niubis.com or call Mary Rose Hennessey at (630) 505-4100.

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