Batesville Casket Company’s Manchester Facility

Garners Another Manufacturing Award

Plant Receives 2007 Progressive Manufacturing Award

From Managing Automation Magazine

BATESVILLE, IN, May 4, 2007 – Managing Automation, a Thomas Publishing Company, LLC publication, has announced the winners of its third annual Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards Program, which has been significantly expanded to reflect the extensive push by the manufacturing industry to improve its competitiveness and capitalize on growth opportunities.  Batesville Casket Company’s Manchester Plant was one of fifty companies named by the magazine.

“This award is another great honor for the Manchester plant and the entire Manchester team, and complements the IndustryWeek Top 10 plant award they received in 2004 and the AME Manufacturing Excellence National Award they received last year,” stated Doug Kunkel, Batesville’s vice president of global supply chain management.  “Once again, it demonstrates the hard work and dedication of our team in Manchester as they focus on safety, quality, delivery, and year-over-year cost improvement.  This recognition from Managing Automation is another achievement among many that tells us our hard work and quality efforts are continuing to make a difference with our customers.”

The awards program recognizes manufacturers that are being progressive in their businesses, in the management of their operations and in their use of advanced technologies. The Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards Program recognizes 50 companies that have achieved distinction in at least one of the eight core disciplines defined by Managing Automation as critical to business success in the years ahead.

The Progressive Manufacturing 50 award winners will be honored and presented with their awards at the Progressive Manufacturing Awards Gala Dinner to be held on the last day of the 2007 Progressive Manufacturing Summit, June 12-14, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. More than 150 manufacturing technology executives are expected to attend. In addition to presenting the awards to the Progressive Manufacturing 50 winners, Managing Automation will also announce at the Gala Dinner the High Achievers in each of the 8 disciplines, as well as the 2007 Progressive Manufacturer of the Year.

Among the companies being honored are Briggs & Stratton, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Pfizer and TRW Automotive.  "These companies exemplify the best in manufacturing," explained David R. Brousell, editor-in chief of Managing Automation.  “They are developing new ways of building products, bringing those products to market, and managing the relationships they need to succeed.  They are masters of new ways of thinking about their companies, applying advanced technologies and achieving breakthroughs in the business of manufacturing.”

About Batesville Casket Company

Batesville Casket Company, a subsidiary of Hillenbrand Industries (NYSE: HB) located in Batesville, Indiana, is recognized as North America’s premier funeral service supplier of burial caskets, Options® cremation products and related support services.  For more than one hundred years, Batesville has been committed to assisting funeral directors in helping families honor the lives of those they love.

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