FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- The Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing has recognized 12 U.S. Army Materiel Command programs with the 2007 Shingo Prize Public Sector Award for achievement in implementing lean systems in support of the manufacturing, repair, overhaul and maintenance of warfighter equipment.

Established in 1988, the Shingo Prize is administered by Utah State University and has been referred to by Business Week magazine as the "Nobel prize of manufacturing."

The AMC recipients are:

Gold:
o Red River Army Depot, Texas - High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle production
o Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, Ill. - Forward Repair System
o Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pa. - AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder antenna

Silver:
o Anniston Army Depot, Ala. - Field Artillery Ammunition Supply Vehicle
o Letterkenny Army Depot, Pa., - HMMWV recapitalization
o Red River Army Depot - Bradley Power-train and Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
o Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center - Shop Equipment Contact Maintenance

Bronze:
o Anniston Army Depot - Automotive Gas Turbine 1500 Engine
o Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command, Aviation Center Logistics Command, Fort Rucker, Ala. - C20J Engine Line TH-57 Sea Ranger
o Corpus Christi Army Depot, Texas - HH-60 Pavehawk
o Letterkenny Army Depot - Power Generators

"I'm extremely proud of AMC's efforts to provide warfighters across DoD with equipment much faster, better quality and at a lower cost. We won four Shingo Awards in 2006. The 12 Shingo Awards we won this year acknowledge AMC as a viable partner in lean manufacturing processes and procedures. This three-fold increase in awards also recognizes the men and women in our outstanding work force who are directly responsible for these improvements. Equally so, those awards are an affirmation of the best business practices we have integrated into the Army's industrial base," said Gen. Benjamin S. Griffin, AMC commanding general.

The awards will be presented during the 3rd Annual Public Sector Shingo Prize ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Va., Oct. 11.

The U.S. Army Materiel Command is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness - technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics, power projection and sustainment - to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it or eats it AMC provides it.