MENASHA, WI - March 25, 2003 - Banta Catalog Group, based in Minneapolis, has earned recognition as a Partner-level supplier for 2002 and was inducted into the Supplier Hall of Fame in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. Hall of Fame status is awarded after a supplier receives a rating of Partner-level for five consecutive years. Banta was selected for the honor in recognition of its dedication to providing products and services of outstanding quality, as well as its commitment to continuous improvement. "Banta is very proud to have been awarded this prestigious honor by one of our valued customers," said Tom Benedict, Banta Catalog’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Our goal is to continue to improve the ways we react to our customers’ needs and develop measurable solutions to address those needs in an efficient and effective way." Suppliers who participate in the Achieving Excellence program are evaluated annually in several key performance categories, including quality, cost management, delivery, technical support and wavelength, which is a measure of responsiveness. John Deere Supply Management created the award program in 1991 to provide a supplier evaluation and feedback process that promotes continuous improvement. For over 25 years, Banta has produced catalogs and brochures for Deere & Company’s agricultural advertising and parts marketing groups. Banta prints everything from agricultural equipment catalogs, folders and highly personalized parts catalogs, to John Deere magazines The Furrow and Homestead. Banta has also worked with Deere & Company’s Used Equipment Remarketing Division to create a remarketing web tool that has been very successful in redistributing used equipment throughout the nation and the world.