SKF Supplies Bearings and Seals for Ford's New Fiesta

    GOTEBORG, Sweden--Sept. 13, 2001--SKF (OMX:SKFa.) (OMX:SKFb.) has, once again, been selected as major bearing supplier for a new Ford vehicle. This time it is the new Ford Fiesta that has made its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September and will go on sale in 2002.
    Over the production life of the new Ford Fiesta, SKF will supply over Euro 200 million worth of products.
    The market launch will start in Europe and later on in Japan and Brazil. Ford is planning for an annual production of 1 million vehicles.
    The new Fiesta follows an industry trend to taller compact hatchbacks, with a more upright and higher seating position.
    SKF will supply the global demand of wheel bearing units, which are sealed and greased for life, for all four corners. The front wheel bearing units also include integrated ABS encoder.
    Both the engines and the gearboxes are equipped with a wide range of bearings and seals from the SKF Group, selected to meet the requirements of compactness and performance from Ford engineering.
    The broad range and number of SKF products on the new Fiesta reflects well the breadth of the Group's product and engineering offering to this highly competitive global market.
    The SKF Group is the automotive industry's leading bearing supplier and holds a strong position in sealing systems for engines, transmissions and other mechanical assemblies.