TROY, AL, April 24th, 2002 -- Lockheed Martin's Pike County Operations facility in Troy, Ala. has been named a winner of the 2002 Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Award, marking the second distinguished award the company received in 2002 for operational excellence. Earlier this year, the facility was chosen as a recipient of the 2002 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing, awarded to businesses in the United States, Canada and Mexico for expert use of lean principles in core manufacturing.

The Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Award, sponsored by the Alabama Technology Network and the Business Council of Alabama, annually honors companies for bringing the highest standards to Alabama manufacturing. Selected by an independent panel of judges, the winners are recognized for a strong measure of customer focus, employee commitment, operational excellence, continuous improvement, profitable growth, and investment in training and retraining.

Lockheed Martin Pike County Operations was selected as the "Large Manufacturer of the Year." Awards are presented in three categories based on the number of employees. Competition is open to manufacturing companies with headquarters or significant operations in Alabama. This is the third year that the award has been presented.

Pike County Operations has gained recognition as Lockheed Martin Corporation's Strike Weapons Center of Excellence. In addition to the Alabama Manufacturer of the Year and Shingo Prize, the facility has received several other notable awards including the Alabama Team Showcase Award in 1998 and 2000, the Alabama Quality Award in 1998 and 2000, and Industry Week's Top Ten America's Best Plant Award in 1997.

"Our team's daily goal is to achieve business successes and customer satisfaction by demonstrating efficiencies and eliminating non-essential activities in manufacturing processes" said Lockheed Martin Pike County Operations Plant Manager Randy Stevenson. "We are dedicated to continuous improvement and being selected to receive manufacturing excellence awards makes us proud and underscores our commitment."

"Pike County Operations employees take the quality of the products they make seriously. In their situation, it is imperative. Lives depend on it," noted Nancy Dennis of the Business Council of Alabama at the recent awards ceremony.

Recipients for the 2002 Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Award also included Triana Industries Inc. for "Medium Manufacturer of the Year" and Innovative Plastics Inc. for "Small Manufacturer of the Year." All winners were honored at the Richard M. Scrushy Conference Center in Birmingham, Ala. on April 4.

Lockheed Martin's Pike County Operations is a manufacturing and final assembly plant for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. The 3,863-acre complex is located 12 miles northeast of Troy and presently employs more than 250 people in support of eight missile production programs for the U.S. Armed Services and international customers.

Lockheed Martin: Nettie Johnson, 407-356-2211/5351e-mail: nettie.r.johnson@lmco.com