For Immediate Release
Public Relations Division
Public Affairs Department
1170 Eighth Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18016-7699
(610) 694-3711 - Phone
(610) 694-1509 - Fax
BETHLEHEM, Pa., June 20, 1997 -- Bethlehem Steel Corporation employees were joined today by executives of General Motors, state and community leaders and General Motors dealers to commemorate the steelmaker receiving, for the second consecutive year, GM's Supplier of the Year Award.
Calling Bethlehem Steel one of the "best of the best," John L. Stiles, executive director of GM's metallic worldwide purchasing, said that Bethlehem is one of 173 suppliers worldwide to win the coveted award for 1996 and one of only 41 suppliers that have won the award twice.
General Motors each year evaluates the performance of its more than 30,000 suppliers worldwide in the areas of quality, service and price. "You satisfied our toughest critics," said Mr. Stiles.
Also representing General Motors at this morning's ceremony was Ronald R. Schuster, director of steel purchasing for GM's North American operations.
"The customer focus that earned this award is a way of life throughout Bethlehem and is helping us realize our vision of becoming the premier steel company," Curtis H. Barnette, chairman and chief executive of Bethlehem Steel, told several hundred guests gathered at the corporation's Martin Tower headquarters.
Bethlehem Steel is the only U.S. supplier of flat-rolled steel and one of only two such suppliers in the world to receive the 1996 award. "Winning the award in 1995 was very important," Mr. Barnette said, "but the second was even more significant. It demonstrates that we can consistently live up to supplier of the year expectations, and they are very high expectations indeed. We will continue to put our customers first and measure our success by their success."
Also participating in this morning's celebration were Sam McCullough, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Ken Smith, Mayor of the City of Bethlehem, other public officials, business and community leaders and former officers and directors of Bethlehem.
Bethlehem Steel's Burns Harbor Division, with finishing mills in Northwest Indiana and Lackawanna, N.Y., supplies sheet steel for parts that go into 40 different cars, vans, pickups and sport-utility vehicles produced by General Motors. Celebrations for employees, community leaders and GM dealers were held yesterday at Burns Harbor's two locations.
