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| Michigan’s Clean Corporate Citizen Program Welcomes the 4th Cascade Engineering Site GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, September 8, 2003 – On June 1st, 2003, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and DEQ Director Steven E. Chester, designated Cascade Engineering Acoustics Group to the growing list of Michigan Clean Corporate Citizens. “This is the 4th Cascade Engineering plant in west Michigan to join in this elite environmental partnership,” Governor Granholm said. “Citizens of west Michigan and the City of Grand Rapids are benefiting from the proactive management of sustainable businesses like Cascade Engineering.” The Cascade Engineering Acoustics Group designs and manufactures plastic injection molded products and related components for the automotive industry. They are committed to achieving improved quality, cost and delivery while taking responsible environmental actions and engaging in community involvement. As a demonstration of their commitment, they have won several business and community awards in the Grand Rapids area. They are certified to the ISO 14001 environmental standard and are active members of the Michigan Business Pollution Prevention Partnership. This year the plant has committed to reduce the amount of spent aerosol and propane containers as well as the amount of cardboard sent to the landfill. In addition, by installing voluntary structural controls Cascade Engineering Acoustics Group has established sound preventive measures to reduce the potential for contaminants in water runoff and waste drains. “We welcome these medium-sized businesses to the Clean Corporate Citizen program,” said Steven E. Chester, Director of the Michigan DEQ. “Cascade Engineering Acoustics Group’s two plants join their sister plants, as west Michigan top environmental performers. With this designation, we recognize them as active and valuable partners in our community.” ”We're honored that our Acoustic Group has received this recognition for its environmental efforts,” Mike Valz, president of Cascade Engineering said. “Our approach to running clean, efficient plants isn't just good for the environment – it's also good business and has helped Cascade Engineering become a cost-competitive supplier to the automotive, furniture and industrial markets. We continue to learn a great deal around Sustainability and the results Cascade can achieve in not only the ecological arena, but the financial and social aspects of Sustainability as well. For Cascade, this is another solid step forward. ” Michigan’s Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) certification is a voluntary program recognizing environmental stewardship. To qualify for a Clean Corporate Citizen designation, candidates must adopt a facility-specific environmental management system and active pollution prevention initiatives, and have a consistent record of compliance with applicable environmental requirements. Clean Corporate Citizens are eligible for certain regulatory benefits under the state’s environmental programs, including expedited permit approval. The program is open to establishments regulated under any of Michigan’s environmental statutes. Designations are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. Thirty years ago this week, Fred Keller founded Cascade Engineering in Grand Rapids. The fledgling company, then a division of Paragon Die and Engineering, occupied a single plant, employed six and was primarily focused on manufacturing mold tryouts for the plastics industry. Thirty years later Cascade Engineering has grown into a global family of companies, with 1,200 employees at 12 facilities (including 700 in West Michigan). Today the company designs and manufactures plastic components for OEM clients in the automotive, trucking and industrial markets, as well as Cascade-branded products serving material handling customers. In addition, Cascade enjoys key strategic partnerships with companies like Dow Automotive and is regarded as a pioneer in the advancement of plastic technologies. Cascade has also built a national reputation for innovative human resources practices and long been a leading supporter of community efforts in Grand Rapids and other geographic markets where it does business. “I am very proud of all who have contributed to the success of Cascade Engineering over the years,” Keller said. “We are trying to build an organization where every person knows they are valued and to support the communities where we do business. In the last 30 years there have been tremendous changes in manufacturing. As we move forward, we recognize that this is the beginning stage of a second industrial revolution that will not look like the first. In this new world, we will remain focused on developing a truly sustainable business. “Our recent corporate realignment has made us closer to the customer and focused Cascade on being the best total-cost provider of innovative solutions. President and COO Mike Valz and his team are doing a great job of positioning Cascade Engineering for the future.” A West Michigan employer committed to becoming an employer of choice in the community, Cascade strives to be a leader in human resource practices, employee relations and corporate culture. The company’s Welfare-To-Career (W2C) program is a nationally recognized program that encourages those currently receiving government economic assistance to make a successful transition to employment and self-sufficiency. The company’s PHASES program, which stands for Providing, Health, Activities, Safety and Enrichment Services, helps employees maintain a successful balance between their work and family responsibilities as they enter new phases of their lives. The program offers Cascade employees a variety of childcare-related benefits, including baby beepers, a childcare hotline, adoption assistance and flexible work scheduling. Cascade was recently recognized as Michigan’s 50th Clean Corporate Citizen for demonstrating consistent environmental compliance, adopting pollution prevention programs and using an effective environmental management system. Cascade Engineering is beginning its 30th year following its best-ever year of performance in 2002, highlighted by record sales and significant improvements in quality, productivity and safety. Cascade, which is privately held, said sales grew 11.2 percent for the year ended August 31, 2002, despite difficult conditions in the overall economy and the industries that Cascade serves. Milestones in the history of Cascade Engineering:
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