CANTON, Ohio, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR) announced today that Salvatore J. Miraglia, Jr. has been appointed president - Steel, effective August 15, succeeding W.J. "Tim" Timken, Jr. who has been named chairman of the company's board of directors. Miraglia will have responsibility for the company's Steel Group, which reported $1.2 billion in sales in 2004, and he will report to the office of the chairman. He was previously senior vice president - technology.

"Sal is well positioned to build upon the success that the Steel Group has achieved under Tim's leadership," said James W. Griffith, president and CEO. "He comes to this with a unique perspective that melds manufacturing and technology. Sal led steel manufacturing during a time of great productivity improvements in the early 1990s. More recently, he has led the global technology group through a transformation that positioned the company to be even more focused on improving our customers' performance."

Mr. Miraglia began his career with the company in 1972 and held various positions in the bearing and steel businesses, as well as in the research and purchasing areas. In 1989, Mr. Miraglia was named director - manufacturing - steel, and, in 1993, vice president - manufacturing - steel. He went on to assume leadership roles in the company's bearing business before being elected senior vice president - technology and an officer of the company in December 1999.

A native of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Mr. Miraglia earned a bachelor's degree in metallurgy and material science from Lehigh University and a master's degree in metallurgy and material science from Case Western Reserve University. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

The Timken Company, (NYSE: TKR, www.timken.com) keeps the world turning, with innovative ways to make customers' products run smoother, faster and more efficiently. Timken's highly engineered bearings, alloy steels and related products and services turn up everywhere. With operations in 27 countries, sales of $4.5 billion in 2004 and 26,000 employees, Timken is Where You Turn™ for better performance.

Contact: Media, Denise Bowler, Manager - Communications, (330) 471-3485, or Facsimile, (330) 471-7032, or Denise.bowler@timken.com, or Investor, Steve Tschiegg, Manager - Investor Relations, (330) 471-7446, or Facsimile, (330) 471-2797, or steve.tschiegg@timken.com

SOURCE The Timken Company