Ariston Thermo and Elica host the WCM Awards 2017 ceremony

The Region has been the world center of manufacturing innovation for one day

Fabriano, 1st December 2017 – Ariston Thermo, a global leading group in the thermal comfort industry, and Elica, worldwide leader in the kitchen hoods market, have hosted the WCM Awards 2017 ceremony, a prestigious international event held every two years – previous editions took place in Biesko Biala (Poland) and Detroit (USA) - during which have been awarded the excellences of the World Class Manufacturing methodology in several companies and manufacturing plants worldwide.

The World Class Manufacturing (WCM) is a methodology introduced in the FCA Group in 2005 and inspired by the lean manufacturing measurements, offering an integrated system of standardized tools for the production lines’ management, aimed at allowing a constant improvement in terms of productivity, security, environmental performance and employees’ training. Afterwards, FCA founded the WCM Association, which Ariston Thermo and Elica have joined since the early years, and which later has welcomed many international companies from different manufacturing sectors.

The event was held on Thursday November 30, 2017 in , Marche Region, that for one day has been the world center of manufacturing innovation, demonstrating the key role of productive excellence of the region in .

Some of the major national and international companies part the Association attended the ceremony, arriving to Fabriano from all over the world.

During the event, the awards won by the plants of the WCM Program member companies in the last two years have been assigned: 1 gold, 22 silver and 51 bronze medals, in addition to the "Special Awards" WCE, WCL, Prototype and Suppliers.

The Ariston Thermo plant of , having won the World Class Manufacturing bronze medal together with the plant of Arcevia, as well as the plant FIME Elica motors division of , have been the sites selected to discovering the WCM methodology. In addition, FCA held an exhibition showing its own process innovations and the WCM Academy’s excellences at PalaBaldinelli in Osimo.

The methodology is currently ongoing in 13 Ariston Thermo plants and 4 Elica plants.

“We are honored to have hosted this prestigious event. Being selected to organize the WCM Awards is the tangible sign of our growth and improvement path, the respect by the Association and the solid reputation which, thanks to the joint commitment, Ariston Thermo has been able to gain worldwide over the years” said Paolo Merloni, Executive Chairman of Ariston Thermo.

“Through this event – adds Francesco Casoli, Chairman of Elica – we have been able to put our territory at the heart of the world's highest excellence industry for a whole day. The top managers of FCA, Unilever, Royal Mail and many other companies have appreciated what coming from the Marche Region means. I am very honored and I feel great responsibility to have been appointed President of the WCM Association by these companies and my friend

Paolo Merloni. The demonstration we are appreciated for our history, our products and, most of all, the commitment towards our future”.

Ariston Thermo is a global leading company in the water heating and heating industry. In 2016 the Group recorded a turnover of € 1.43 billion and sold 7 million products in over 150 countries; with 6,900 employees, 59 operating companies and 8 representative offices in 36 countries and 22 production sites in 13 countries. The Group offers a full range of products, systems and services, mostly under the brands Ariston, Elco, Chaffoteaux, Atag, Racold, HTP and NTI. Ariston Thermo shows its commitment to energy efficiency through the development of solutions based on renewable energy sources, such as solar thermal systems and heat pumps, the improvement of the efficiency of products such as boilers and water heaters and the continuous investment in innovation for the development of increasingly advanced connectivity systems. The goal of Ariston Thermo is to look at the future of thermal comfort, offering an optimal combination of quality, energy savings and care for the environment.

The Elica Group, active in the range hood market since the ‘70s, chaired by Francesco Casoli and managed by Antonio Recinella, is today a worldwide leader in terms of units sold. Elica Group is a frontrunner in the European market for the design, production and commercialisation of electric motors for range hoods and heating boilers. With more than 3,600 employees and an annual production rate of more than 19 million pieces, Elica Group utilises a production platform split across eight different sites in Italy, Poland, Mexico, India and China. Long-standing experience in the market, high attention to design, research into materials and advanced technologies, maximum efficacy and reduced consumption, are the elements setting the Elica Group apart and which have allowed to the company to revolutionise the traditional image of range hoods: no longer simple accessories, but rather objects of unique design able to improve our quality of life.

Brunswick – on behalf of Ariston Thermo Alessandro Iozzia – Davide Ghellini Sargenti [email protected] Tel: +39 02 92886200

Ariston Thermo - Press & External Relations Alessio Bianchini [email protected] M: +39 3355262935

Press office Elica Corporate Gabriele Patassi +39 340 1759399 [email protected]

Burson Marsteller – on behalf of Elica Fabio Caporizzi +39 340 5250566 [email protected] Alice Prencipe M. +39 345 1762258 [email protected]