(NYSE: ACW)

Industry: Commercial Vehicles & Trucks
On the web: http://www.accuridecorp.com
Employees: 3,500

Accuride Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, and Accuride Canada Inc., a Corporation formed under the laws of the province of Ontario, Canada and a wholly owned subsidiary of Accuride, were incorporated in November 1986 for the purpose of acquiring all of the assets and assuming certain of the liabilities of Firestone Steel Products, a division of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. The Company is the diversified manufacturers and suppliers of commercial vehicle components in North America. The Company's products include commercial vehicle wheels, wheel-end components and assemblies, truck body and chassis parts, seating assemblies and other commercial vehicle components. The Company markets its products under some of the most recognized brand names in the industry, including Accuride, Gunite, Imperial, Bostrom, Fabco and Brillion. The Company serves the original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, and their related aftermarket channels in most major segments of the commercial vehicle market, including heavy- and medium-duty trucks, commercial trailers, light trucks, buses, as well as specialty and military vehicles. The Company's primary product lines are standard equipment used by virtually all North American heavy- and medium-duty truck OEMs, creating a barrier to entry. The Company's diversified customer base includes all of the commercial vehicle OEMs, such as Freightliner Corporation, with its Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star brand trucks, PACCAR, Inc., with its Peterbilt and Kenworth brand trucks, International Truck and Engine Corporation, with its International brand trucks, and Volvo Truck Corporation, or Volvo/Mack, with its Volvo and Mack brand trucks. The Company's primary commercial trailer customers include commercial trailer OEMs, such as Great Dane Limited Partnership and Wabash National, Inc. The Company's business consists of seven operating segments that design, manufacture and distribute components for trucks, trailers, and other vehicles. These operating segments are aggregated into a single reportable segment as they have similar economic characteristics, products and production processes, class of customer and distribution methods. Major raw materials for the wheel-end and industrial component products are steel scrap and pig iron and for the truck body and chassis parts are sheet and formed steel and aluminum. The Company has an aftermarket sales coverage for its various products, particularly wheels, wheel-ends and seating assemblies. The Company's salespeople promote and sell its products to the aftermarket, including OEM dealers, warehouse distributors and aftermarket buying groups. The Company has numerous trademarks, patents and copyrights in the United States and in certain foreign countries. The Company's operations, facilities and properties are subject to laws and regulations pertaining to air emissions, wastewater discharges, the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous materials and wastes, the investigation and remediation of contamination, and otherwise relating to health, safety and the protection of the environment and natural resources. As of December 31, 2005, the Company had approximately 4,745 employees.

abbr. Aircraftwoman.

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