June 26, 2007 — Asahi Tec Corp., the global automotive components group, has named Hideo Ishii as its new president and co-CEO. Ishi also becomes a director of the corporation and its representative executive officer.

Based in Shizuoka, Japan, Asahi Tec designs and manufactures ductile-iron castings for truck and construction machinery; aluminum castings for truck and passenger cars; and aluminum automotive wheels. Following a merger late last year, Asahi Tec is the parent company of Plymouth, MI-based Metaldyne Inc., which designs and manufactures metal components, assemblies, and modules for various powertrain and chassis applications (e.g., engine, transmission/transfer case, wheel-end and suspension, axle and driveline, and noise and vibration control products.)

Ishii will be responsible for the organization's Metal Forming Group and Diversified Business Group (the Asahi Tec operations preceding the merger), and co-CEO with Metaldyne Inc. president Timothy D. Leuliette. Leuliette is also co-chairman of the company with Shoichiro Irimajiri.

Ishii has been president and representative director of Honeywell Japan, and president and representative director of Honeywell Intl. Japan. He held various executive positions at Nissan, including v.p. - corporate strategy, Nissan Europe, and v.p. - operations at Nissan Motor Manufacturing Spain. He also served as managing director and member of the board of Vantec Corp. Ishii is a graduate of the Aero Engineering Dept. of the University of Tokyo.