Bell Atlantic Honors Siecor with Supplier Recognition Award

Bell Atlantic Honors Siecor

with Supplier Recognition Award

Siecor Takes Prize in Manufacturing
Category with High Marks for Quality of Products

January 23, 1998

NEW YORK - Siecor Corp., a supplier of fiber optic cables, has won a Bell Atlantic Supplier Excellence Award for continually providing Bell Atlantic with premium products.

Siecor President and CEO Joseph D. Hicks accepted the award from Bell Atlantic Vice President-Facilities Management Ken Hoffman during a ceremony today at Siecor's headquarters in Hickory N.C. Siecor supplies Bell Atlantic companies with loose tube and ribbon fiber optic cable and accessories for use in their telecommunications networks.

"During the more than 10 years we have been doing business with Siecor, Bell Atlantic's demand for fiber optic cable has been steadily increasing, while our lead times have been steadily decreasing," said Hoffman. "Siecor has met this challenge head on and has excelled. Siecor's superior products play a critical role in our ability to provide quality products and outstanding service to our customers."

Siecor earned high marks for delivery, customer service and quality of products. The company has had no product defects in the past six years, continues to make technical improvements and has taken the initiative to provide Bell Atlantic with free fiber optic training seminars for employees.

"We have worked with Bell Atlantic for many years, and we are honored to accept this award," Hicks said. "This award signifies Siecor's commitment to strive for performance excellence, and it is a reminder that as a leader in the telecommunication's industry, we must sustain this performance level in 1998 and beyond for all our customers."

Siecor is one of only six suppliers from more than 6,500 eligible companies-the company's entire supplier base-to earn the 1997 Bell Atlantic Supplier Excellence Award. The suppliers were judged on the quality of their performance, service delivery and customer satisfaction.

The Supplier Excellence Awards enable Bell Atlantic to thank the winners publicly for their hard work and dedication to excellence, which help Bell Atlantic maintain its position as a market leader. In addition, the award encourages other suppliers to raise their level of performance.

The other winners of the Bell Atlantic 1997 Supplier Excellence Award are:

• Hitachi Data Systems, Santa Clara, Calif.

• Tekelec, Calabasas, Calif.

• The Delta Shuttle, Boston, Mass.

• Transportation Displays Incorporated, New York, N.Y.

• Yellow Freight System, Overland Park, Kan.

Siecor, owned equally by Siemens Corporation and Corning Incorporated, continues to lead the industry in developing and manufacturing optical fiber and copper communications products for voice, data and video applications. Formed in 1977, the company is a major supplier for telephone companies, cable television operating companies, customer premises communications and utility applications. Siecor is the largest manufacturer of optical fiber cable in the world and is dedicated to providing Total Quality products and services to customers.

Bell Atlantic - formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX - is at the forefront of the new communications, information and entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone access lines and 5.8 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 21 countries.