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July 17. 2012, Guelph, ON:
PRESS RELEASE / ABS BRAKING NEWS

July 17, 2012 - Guelph, Ontario: Touring
the Guelph Kitchener area, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty made a scheduled stop at ABS Friction to tour the thriving and growing aftermarket brake pad manufacturing facility.

Accompanied by Guelph MPP Liz Sandals and Lloyd Longfield, President and CAO of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, the Premier addressed the staff and media with discussion on the struggles of the Ontario manufacturing sector in Ontario, "...dealing with a high dollar, slowing international markets and an era of globalization." The Premier recognized ABS Friction for a strong business model, and congratulated staff on efficiency and productivity that allows the company to continue to flourish in difficult economic times.

"Thanks to provincial government support, and the success of companies like ABS Friction", MPP Liz Sandals added, "Guelph has emerged from the recession in good shape, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada."

MPP Sandals is also responsible for introducing Private Member's Bill 51, which has received all party support and has been passed unanimously through two readings at Queen's Park, the Ontario Legislature. Bill 51 will ban asbestos in brake pads and will set minimum edge code traceability standards for all brake pads sold in Ontario. Currently there are no brake product standards in place in Ontario for replacement brake pads. This bill has been referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy and the next step will be hearings before that committee. ABS Friction supports this bill and thanks MPP Sandals for introducing it. As a sub note, the states of California and Washington have recently passed legislation banning the sale of brake pads containing asbestos effective January 1, 2014. ABS Friction has never manufactured brake pads using asbestos.