Collins & Aikman Earns IndustryWeek's Annual 10 Best North American Manufacturing Plants Award

Collins & Aikman Earns IndustryWeek's Annual 10 Best North
American Manufacturing Plants Award 


TROY, Mich., Sept. 17  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Collins & Aikman Corporation
(NYSE:CKC) announced today that its Williamston, Michigan operations have been
honored by IndustryWeek, a leading manufacturing management magazine, as a
winning facility in the publication's fifteenth annual 10 Best Plants
competition.  This is the seventh Collins & Aikman facility to earn this
prestigious award in the last four years.

"It is an honor to be recognized for setting and exceeding the standards in
manufacturing excellence, not only for the competitive automotive industry, but
for North American manufacturing as a whole," commented David Stockman, Collins
& Aikman's chairman and chief executive officer.  "This award underscores the
dedication of Collins & Aikman's employees, whose intense focus on continuous
improvement provides world-class products for our customers."

Collins & Aikman's Williamston Operations employ over 180 individuals who
produce quality blow-molded, soft trim automotive components including
headrests, armrests and console covers primarily for DaimlerChrysler and Ford
vehicles.  Specifically, the Williamston facility was recognized for pioneering
advancements in the blow-molding manufacturing processes and achieving a five
year 100% on-time delivery rate.

Collins and Aikman will receive a commemorative award at ceremonies tentatively
scheduled for October.  The honor recognizes world-class manufacturing
capabilities and a management mindset of continuous improvement. The plant was
one of more than 400 facilities nominated between October 2003 and March 2004. 
Profiles of each winning plant will be featured in an upcoming issue of
IndustryWeek magazine.

"This year's class of winners have raised the bar of excellence in
manufacturing today," said Patricia Panchak, IndustryWeek's Editor-in-Chief.
"Their winning strategies demonstrate what it takes to achieve world-class
performance.  IndustryWeek is proud to celebrate the winners' success and share
their stories."

Other Collins & Aikman facilities that have previously earned the IndustryWeek
10 Best Plants award include:

Guelph Operations - Guelph, ON, instrument panels and cockpit assemblies, 2003

Americus Operations - Americus, GA; exterior trim, 2002

Athens Operations - Athens, Tenn; instrument panels, door panels and consoles,
2002

Rantoul Operations - Rantoul, IL; instrument panels and plastic components,
2002

Port Huron Operations - Port Huron, Mich; instrument panels, door panels, 2001

Saltillo Operations - Saltillo, Mexico; interior and exterior trim, 2001

Collins & Aikman Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global leader in
cockpit modules and automotive floor and acoustic systems and is a leading
supplier of instrument panels, automotive fabric, plastic-based trim, and
convertible top systems.  The Company's current operations span the globe
through 16 countries, more than 100 facilities and nearly 24,000 employees who
are committed to achieving total excellence.  Collins & Aikman's high-quality
products combine superior design, styling and manufacturing capabilities with
NVH "quiet" technologies that are among the most effective in the industry.
Information about Collins & Aikman is available on the Internet at
http://www.collinsaikman.com/ . 

DATASOURCE: Collins & Aikman Corporation



CONTACT:  Media Inquiries: David A. Youngman, Director Corporate

Communications, [phone],  , or Investor

Inquiries: Robert Krause, Vice President and Treasurer, Head of Investor

Relations, [phone],  , both of Collins &

Aikman Corporation



Web site:  http://www.collinsaikman.com/ 

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