PLYMOUTH, Mich., Jan. 2, 2008 -- Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership announced today that it has acquired the assets of Anura Plastics Engineering Corp. ("APEC") of Baldwin Park, Calif. in order to expand the business of plastic and silicone molded products for the healthcare, medical and biotech markets. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

APEC was founded in 1997 by CEO, Wolfgang Buehler, and his business partner, president, Anura Welikala, as a manufacturer of complex, high quality thermoplastic medical and biotech components used for intravenous sets, safety syringes, and catheters, as well as for dialysis and respiratory devices. APEC soon moved into liquid silicone molding of components for needless access devices and over-molding of silicone and polycarbonate parts for complex specialty systems.
The plastic and the silicone segment of APEC's business benefit from the capabilities of sister company Magor Mold Inc., a mold maker in nearby San Dimas, CA., serving as the in-house tool shop providing prototype and production tooling for plastic and silicone components. Although Magor Mold will not be part of the acquisition, they will continue to provide services under a partnership agreement and under the continued leadership of owner Wolfgang Buehler.

Supported by a team of highly qualified and experienced specialists in all fields involved, Wolfgang Buehler and Anura Welikala have positioned APEC in the market as a one-stop shop providing turn-key solutions for its customers from concept to completion. APEC is applying the latest molding technology in its 72,000 sq. ft. facility with a class 100,000 clean room at 5050 Rivergrade Road in Baldwin Park, CA. and has recently expanded these capabilities to Asia. Its 35,000 sq. ft. mirror facility in Shenzhen in China's Guangdong Province is manufacturing products that are exported worldwide as well as shipped to local customers in Asia.

Wolfgang Buehler will continue with Freudenberg-NOK in a strategic leadership role supporting the business in the Americas and Worldwide. Anura Welikala, currently president of APEC, will continue to manage the business at the Baldwin Park, CA. and Shenzhen, China facilities for Freudenberg-NOK.
"Freudenberg-NOK has a goal to grow in the healthcare and medical market and this acquisition reflects our continued commitment to that vision," said Dr. Jorg Schneewind, general manager of the Special Sealing Products Division. Schneewind continues, "We started the implementation of our vision with the acquisition of Jenline in 2004 and continued with the acquisition of Helix Medical in 2006; both have outgrown our expectations. With the addition of APEC, we will now expand our capabilities into the plastic segment and into production in China, which is becoming increasingly important as a low-cost location as well as for serving our global customers locally in Asia. With the combined expertise of Jenline, Helix Medical and APEC, as well as the technology competence of our European and Japanese partners, we will employ the most advanced silicone and plastic technology currently available to meet our customers' needs Worldwide."

Founded in 1989, Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership based in Plymouth, Michigan, is known as the world-leading manufacturer of precision-manufactured products for a variety of markets, including automotive, aerospace, appliance, diesel engine, agriculture and construction, marine, healthcare and medical, off-highway equipment, oil and gas, recreational vehicles and semiconductor markets.

"With the acquisition of APEC Freudenberg-NOK's healthcare and medical business has reached a critical size and will now be organized into a separate, dedicated Healthcare Products Division," said Jorg Schneewind. "The addition of APEC to the resources and expertise we already had in our Jenline and Helix Medical business -- not at least the highly capable sales team focused on healthcare and medical customers -- will allow us to offer a complete line of products and services to our customers."
Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership is the Americas joint venture between Freudenberg and Company in Germany and NOK Corporation in Japan. Together, Freudenberg and NOK Group Companies make up the world's largest producer of elastomeric seals and custom molded products. Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership has annual revenues of approximately $1 billion.

For more information, visit the Freudenberg-NOK website at http://www.freudenberg-nok.com/.
SOURCE: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
CONTACT: Dr. Jorg Schneewind, general manager of the Special Sealing
Products Division of Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership, +1-734-354-5501

For more information, please visit the Freudenberg-NOK website at
www.freudenberg-nok.com