PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrea Weitzenfeld
Winsby, Inc. 847-316-9800

PRESIDENT'S WORLD CLASS AWARD
Strong team effort helps win fifth President's World Class Award

Plant City, FL -- For the fifth time in seven years, Linder Industrial Machinery Company won the President's World Class Award from Komatsu Financial, the finance division of Komatsu America International Company. The award is given annually to Komatsu Financial's highest retail volume distributor.

According to Linder President Jeff Cox, the prestigious award is the result of the hard work of all employees as well as a strong partnership with Komatsu Financial and Florida customers.

"Our business is extremely competitive and all our employees are competitors, so in a competitive business you like to win," he said. "We set high goals every year, one of them being the Chairman's Award, which we also won. It took a concerted effort from all our people and good cooperation and support from Komatsu to achieve these goals. We especially value our strong partnership with Komatsu Financial. Their ability to respond has been invaluable in growing our business."

Financial flexibility
Cox added that Komatsu Financial and Linder's Finance Team of Vice President, Finance Peggy Smith and Finance Managers Hank Bolding and Stan Mikulski are able to give customers great flexibility when financing their equipment.

"I think the ability to provide that service to the customer is invaluable," he said. "With all the new finance mechanisms out there, financing is a key part of equipment ownership, and giving the customer a clear understanding of his options helps create in him a comfort level that he's getting the best deal that suits his situation. We're able to customize the financing to the customer's unique needs, and having knowledgeable people who are able to get into the details of those options is critical."

Cox singled out Peggy Smith for her strong efforts in helping customers tailor financing to their own unique needs.

"Among Komatsu distributors, I think we are the only company that has a female in that role," he said. "So I think we've been an innovator. And it's been a huge success. Peggy has been very well received by our customers as well as by our managers and sales force."

Winning the World Class Award means a lot to us and is something we strive to attain every year," added Smith. "We value our close working relationship with Komatsu Financial because it not only benefits us, but our customers as well. You have to be able to package a deal in such a way that it becomes a viable option for the customer where it meets his cash flow needs and bonding requirements as well as other considerations he might need to finance his

transactions. Komatsu Financial gives us the flexibility to structure those deals correctly and close the transaction."

Management from Komatsu Financial and Linder were on hand for the presentation of the President's World Class Award. From the left are Jeff Cox, President of Linder; Jim Boyle, President of Komatsu Financial; Peggy Smith, Vice President, Finance for Linder; Wally Savage, Marketing Manager fro Komatsu Financial; Kent Van Zanten, Finance Sales Manager for Komatsu Financial; Bill Fruland, Vice President, Finance Sales for Komatsu Financial; and Hank Bolding, Linder Finance Manager.

Award celebration
The President's World Class Award was presented to Linder by Komatsu Financial President Jim Boyle and representatives Bill Fruland, Wally Savage and Kent Van Zanten during a cookout for Linder employees at the company's Plant City headquarters on Wednesday, February 23. Komatsu Financial also held award celebration luncheons for Linder employees at the company's Jacksonville, Pembroke Pines, Orlando and Fort Myers branches during the week of February 21.

"We wanted to congratulate the entire Linder team for their outstanding efforts in winning the President's World Class Award," said Boyle. "We recognize that it takes a team effort from every employee to win the award -- the sales people, the mechanics, the parts people and the administrative people. Everybody had a hand in winning the award because they are all involved ultimately in making or supporting the sale."

"The success of Linder, including the World Class Award and Chairman's Award, can be attributed in part to their utilization of Komatsu programs," said Bill Fruland, Vice President, Finance Sales for Komatsu Financial. "They buy into the programs, really use them and their numbers reflect that. It also reflects their philosophy to be a one-stop shop for all their customer's needs, from machines and service to parts and financing. They have specialized people in all these areas who are experts in helping customers. We want to congratulate all of them for meeting their goals and helping us exceed ours."

Savage said a real plus for Linder customers is having skilled people like Hank Bolding and Stan Mikulski work one-on-one with them to select the financing package that best meets their needs.

"Linder has made a commitment to use financing as a sales tool," he said. "Skilled people like Hank and Stan are out there visiting with customers every day, negotiating the financing. I think customers like the fact that they can deal with professional sales people like Hank or Stan. They get to know customers so it helps them customize financing to a person's unique needs."

Linder employees enjoy a cookout at the company's Plant City branch that was sponsored by Komatsu Financial as part of the President's World Class Award celebration.