New Flyer Receives 2013 Manufacturing Leadership 100 Award for Operational Excellence Award

The ML100 Awards, now in their ninth year, annually honor 100 world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Nominations across 11 categories are vetted and evaluated by a panel of expert judges. Four of the categories recognize the achievements of individual manufacturing executives and seven of the ML100 categories are for outstanding projects undertaken and completed by a manufacturing company, which is the category that New Flyer’s “Operational Excellence” program falls into. For descriptions of the ML100 categories and award recipients in each category, please go to http://www.ml100awards.com/.

The Operational Excellence Award recipients have undertaken projects that transform production processes and systems with an eye toward reducing costs and enhancing agility. Winning projects, for example, will have used continuous improvement principles such as lean manufacturing to streamline operations, or introduced new plant systems that enhance overall equipment effectiveness and enable traceability.  Some of the past winners of this award in the Operational Excellence category include companies such as: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Boston Scientific, Ford Motor Co., IBM and many others.

“It is a privilege to be awarded such an honor in the Operational Excellence category and especially alongside some impressive companies,” said Paul Soubry, New Flyer President and Chief Executive Officer. “It’s really a testament to all the hard work and dedication that our employees put into our Operational Excellence journey every day that has us where we are today.”

New Flyer’s Operational Excellence (OpEx) journey was initiated in the fall of 2008 with investments in operations and change management for sustainable processes. Its vision is to provide and maintain a safe, clean and efficient working environment for all employees while ensuring that it is the most efficient producer through first-time quality and defined processes and procedures.  New Flyer’s OpEx initiative has maintained a strong internal focus from the day its journey began, with many lean manufacturing and 5S initiatives having been ingrained into its processes today. They are continuously looking at its processes and procedures to find ways that it can improve which translates into customer benefits, with a better quality product and improved communication.

New Flyer will be honored with its ML100 Award at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit May 14 and 15 in Palm Beach, FL.

About New Flyer
New Flyer is the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses in the United States and Canada.  The Company’s three manufacturing facilities – in St. Cloud, MN; Crookston, MN; and Winnipeg, MB – are all ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certified.  The Company currently operates a parts fabrication facility in Elkhart, IN and four parts distribution centers in Erlanger, KY; Fresno, CA; Winnipeg, MB and Brampton, ON.  The Company also operates a service center in Arnprior, ON.

With a skilled workforce of over 2,200 employees, New Flyer is a technology leader, offering the broadest product line in the industry, including drive systems powered by clean diesel, LNG, CNG and electric trolley as well as energy-efficient diesel-electric hybrid vehicles.  New Flyer has delivered over 32,000 heavy-duty buses in the United States and Canada.  All products are supported with an industry-leading, comprehensive parts and service network.  Further, information is available on New Flyer’s web site at www.www.newflyer.com.

The common shares and convertible unsecured subordinated debentures of New Flyer are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols NFI and NFI.DB.U, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of the Company that involve risks and uncertainties.  Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material.  Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.  Due to the potential impact of these factors, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

For further information, please contact:

Jon Koffman
Investor Relations
Tel: 204-224-6672