The awards including Best-in-Class and Meritorious Performance, and the Supplier of the Year honor -- recognize companies that make outstanding contributions to Sun Microsystems' ability to deliver superior technology, quality service, and excellent value to its customers.

Benchmark Electronics was named this year's top supplier for providing external manufacturing services to Sun. It was cited for consistently providing a level of service unparalleled across Sun's supply base. Last year, Benchmark Electronics also was named a Best-in-Class Supplier to Sun Microsystems.

The 2004 Best-in-Class award winners are:

Astec Power (Power), Carlsbad, CA. Celestica, Inc. (PCA Manufacturing), Toronto, Canada Frans Maas (Logistics), Montfoort, the Netherlands Fujitsu Components America, Inc. (OEM Systems and Display) Tokyo, Japan Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. (Mass Storage), Kawasaki, Japan ModusLink, Corp. (Software and Supply Chain Management), Boston, MA. Pinnacle Data Systems, Inc. (Logistical Support), Groveport, OH.

The 2004 Meritorious Performance award winners are:

APW Enclosures (Storage Rack Solutions), Anaheim, CA. Celestica, Inc.(Systems Integration), Toronto, Canada DecisionOne Corp. (Field Service Delivery), Haverhill, MA. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Storage Systems), San Jose, CA Infineon Technologies AG (Memory Products), Munich, Germany JDS Uniphase (OEM products), San Jose, CA. NEC Misubishi Electric Visual Systems Corp. (Displays), Tokyo, Japan Neilsen Manufacturing, Inc. (Enclosures), Salem, OR. PrO Unlimited, Inc. (Contingent Workforce Management), Boca Raton, FL. Servigistics, Inc. (Service Suppliers), Atlanta, GA. Texas Instruments (Custom Silicon), Dallas, TX.

"We implemented what will likely be recognized as one of the most significant supply chain innovations of the decade, eliminating inventory through a new direct-to-customer logistics model," said Eugene McCabe, senior vice president of Sun Worldwide Operations. "We credit much of our record on-time delivery and lead-time performance to the support and determination of our supply base to make this breakthrough advance possible."

Kurt Doelling, vice president of Supplier Management at Sun Microsystems, said, Sun continues to fuse its supply chain operations along with its suppliers to facilitate change, drive innovation, and deliver more value and satisfaction to customers.

"I have no doubt that Sun's significant market share gains are a direct result of our supplier's extraordinary achievements in delivering the best customer value and highest product quality," Doelling added. "In spite of tight market conditions, these suppliers did whatever was needed to make us be successful in meeting customer demand."

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