The recipient of 2000 Wu Manufacturing Leadership Award

Mr. Joseph C. Day

Mr. Joseph C. Day

Joseph C. Day is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Freudenberg-NOK G.P.  He had served as its president and CEO since the company’s formation in 1989, after being selected in 1988 to help establish the North American partnership between Freudenberg & Co. of Germany and NOK Corp. of Japan. Under Day’s direction, Freudenberg-NOK has quadrupled its annual sales and established itself as a benchmark in lean systems. 

Before joining Freudenberg-NOK, Day worked for the Dexter Corp. in Windsor Locks, Conn., as president of the Specialty Materials & Engineered Plastics Group from 1985 to 1988.   Prior to this, he was president of Dexter Corp.’s C. H. Dexter Division from 1980 to 1985 and held general management, marketing and sales positions with General Electric’s Plastics Business Group from 1966 to 1980.

One of the auto industry’s leading proponents of lean systems, Day has made more than 100 industry speeches on lean manufacturing and been inducted into the Shingo Prize Academy- for his personal efforts in helping automakers and suppliers convert to lean systems.

Day is also the chairman of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, and serves as a director on several other boards.