Excellence in Quality by Honda and Supplier of the Year by Jacobs Vehicle Systems

Hitachi Metals America, LLC accepted Honda Motor Company’s 2015 Excellence in Quality Award for products made at its Waupaca Foundry plants. The award acknowledges suppliers who meet Honda’s philosophy of consistently exceeding expectations and is given annually to suppliers who reach the top of their commodity classification as measured by Honda’s quality and warranty performance index.

Honda selects suppliers who meet standards in project complexity and excellence in quality, delivery, development, customer service & budget management. Waupaca Foundry was one of 37 suppliers honored by Honda. Its plants in Lawrenceville and Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and Effingham, Illinois provide cast, machined and assembled ductile iron suspension parts to Honda. The award was presented at the Honda Supplier Conference on April 29, 2016.

“As our responsibilities continue to increase in the North American region, there is a greater requirement for teamwork and collaboration than ever before,” said Tom Lake, vice president for North American Purchasing at Honda North America, Inc. (HNA).

Jacobs Vehicle Systems selected Waupaca Foundry as the 2015 Supplier of the Year. Jacobs Vehicle Systems is located in Bloomfield, Conn. and manufactures engine components for Class 8 commercial vehicles. Waupaca Foundry plants in Waupaca and Marinette, Wisconsin, and Tell City, Indiana were cited for achieving high standards in product delivery, quality, engineering collaboration and pricing. The foundry produces ductile iron and gray iron engine braking components for Jacobs Vehicle Systems and has been its castings supplier for 35 years.

“Our team members are the true winners of these awards,” said Mike Nikolai, COO and president of Waupaca Foundry. “We are dedicated to continuous improvement, consistent product quality, and delivering outstanding customer service and we are honored our customers choose to recognize the commitment.”

Jacobs Vehicle Systems reviews 122 suppliers for its awards and looks for suppliers who deliver dependability, responsiveness, overall quality and a fair price. “Waupaca’s consistent performance helps Jacobs Vehicle Systems achieve 100% customer satisfaction all day every day,” said Nick Vaselacopoulos, commodity manager for Jacobs Vehicle Systems.

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