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News Release                                                                                                        For More Information:

For Immediate Release                                                                                                         Contact: Len Hoogerwerf at

May, 2006                                                                                                                           815-633-7460, Ext. 349

Rockford Powertrain ® Inc. earns recognition

as John Deere "Partner-level Supplier"

May 06, Loves Park, Illinois - Powertrain component manufacturer, Rockford Powertrain, Inc. ® has earned recognition as Partner-level supplier for 2005 in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. The Partner-level status is Deere & Company's highest supplier rating. The Loves Park, Illinois-based company was selected for the honor in recognition of its dedication to providing products and service of outstanding quality, as well as its commitment to continuous improvement. The award was accepted for Rockford Powertrain jointly by Tom Corcoran, the company's President and CEO along with John Locarno, Rockford's Vice President, Sales and Engineering, and Len Hoogerwerf, the company's Key OEM Account and Corporate Development Manager, during formal ceremonies held on March 8, 2006, in Davenport, IA.

Rockford Powertrain is a supplier of driveline products to John Deere's operation in Waterloo, Iowa.

Suppliers who participate in the Achieving Excellence program are evaluated annually in several key performance categories including quality, cost management, delivery, technical support and wavelength, which is a measure of responsiveness. John Deere Supply Management created the program in 1991 to provide a supplier evaluation and feedback process that promotes continuous improvement.

Rockford Powertrain Inc. is a global, brand-name supplier of highly engineered, heavy-duty Powertrain components to the agricultural, construction, mining, forestry, material handling, military and industrial equipment industries.

Headquartered in Loves Park, Illinois, the company designs, manufactures and markets thousands of products, and holds a leading market share position in the off-highway market. Products include Mechanics® driveshafts and universal joints, Rockford® fan clutches, hydraulic clutches, torque converters, and power dividers. Many Rockford Powertrain customers are global leaders in the manufacture of heavy-duty vehicles and equipment used in off-highway applications.

For additional information, visit Rockford Powertrain at www.rockfordpowertrain.com

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Displaying the "John Deere Partner-level Supplier" award plaque, from left, John Locarno, Rockford Powertrain, Inc. Vice President, Sales and Engineering, Tom Corcoran, Rockford Powertrain President and CEO, Len Hoogerwerf, Rockford's Key OEM Account and Corporate Development Manager.