Finning Announces Appointment of Juan Carlos Villegas to Chief Operating Officer

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - May 22, 2012) - Finning International Inc. (TSX:FTT) announced today the appointment of Juan Carlos Villegas, currently president of Finning South America, to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) based at the company's corporate office in Vancouver.

"Over the past few years, we have built a solid foundation for our operations through a repositioning to focus on our core strengths. The creation of the COO role will provide us with dedicated management focus and greater internal synergy to drive operational excellence during the next phase of our strategic journey," said Mike Waites, president and CEO of Finning International.

"Juan Carlos has an outstanding track record within Finning as such he is well suited to oversee the delivery of our operating plans across our business units," continued Mr. Waites. "Throughout his career, Juan Carlos has demonstrated exceptional leadership, a passion for developing the business, and a strong commitment to delivering safety excellence. I look forward to him bringing this experience, track record and enthusiasm to the new role."

Reporting to the CEO, Mr. Villegas will oversee and drive operational excellence across the company's three operating units: Canada, South America, and the U.K. and Ireland. As COO of Finning International, Mr. Villegas will have a key role in increasing efficiencies and profitability, while maintaining Finning's safety leadership, across the company's international business.

"This is an exciting time in the strategic development of the company and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of Finning International. There is a strong team in place to take the business forward and I am delighted to be part of it," said Juan Carlos Villegas.

Mr. Villegas joined Finning in 1998 and served as president of the company's South American business for the past six years. With over 30 years of industry experience, he played a key role in the successful growth of Finning's South American business. In 2011, Mr. Villegas led Finning South America to a year of record results and solid operating leverage. To assist in an orderly transition, Mr. Villegas will continue to lead South America until arrangements for a new president have been finalized.

Finning International Inc. is the world's largest Caterpillar equipment dealer delivering unrivalled service to customers since 1933. Finning sells, rents and services equipment and engines to help customers maximize productivity. Headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., the Company operates in Western Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, as well as in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Forward-looking disclaimer
This report contains statements about the Company's business outlook, objectives, plans, strategic priorities and other statements that are not historical facts. A statement Finning makes is forward-looking when it uses what the Company knows and expects today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements may include words such as aim, anticipate, assumption, believe, could, expect, goal, guidance, intend, may, objective, outlook, plan, project, seek, should, strategy, strive, target, and will. Forward-looking statements in this report include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: expectations with respect to the economy and associated impact on the Company's financial results; expected revenue and SG&A levels and EBIT growth; anticipated generation of free cash flow (including projected net capital and rental expenditures), and its expected use; anticipated defined benefit plan contributions; the expected target range of Debt Ratio; the impact of new and revised IFRS that have been issued but are not yet effective; the expected timetable for completion of the proposed transaction between the Company and Caterpillar to acquire the distribution and support business formerly operated by Bucyrus in Finning's Canadian dealership territory; growth prospects for the former Bucyrus business being acquired by the Company in Finning's dealership territories (Bucyrus) and the competitive advantages of the business being acquired; expected future financial and operating results generated from Bucyrus; anticipated benefits and synergies of Bucyrus; the expected financing structure for the Bucyrus transaction in Finning (Canada); and the expected impact of Bucyrus on Finning's earnings. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws.

Unless otherwise indicated by us, forward-looking statements in this report describe Finning's expectations at May 22, 2012. Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, Finning does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from the expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements and that Finning's business outlook, objectives, plans, strategic priorities and other statements that are not historical facts may not be achieved. As a result, Finning cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements include: general economic and market conditions; foreign exchange rates; commodity prices; the level of customer confidence and spending, and the demand for, and prices of, Finning's products and services; Finning's dependence on the continued market acceptance of Caterpillar's products and Caterpillar's timely supply of parts and equipment; Finning's ability to continue to improve productivity and operational efficiencies while continuing to maintain customer service; Finning's ability to manage cost pressures as growth in revenues occur; Finning's ability to attract sufficient skilled labour resources to meet growing product support demand; Finning's ability to negotiate and renew collective bargaining agreements with satisfactory terms for Finning's employees and the Company; the intensity of competitive activity; Finning's ability to successfully integrate the distribution and support business formerly operated by Bucyrus after that transaction closes; Finning's ability to raise the capital needed to implement its business plan; regulatory initiatives or proceedings, litigation and changes in laws or regulations; stock market volatility; changes in political and economic environments for operations; the integrity, reliability, and availability of information technology and the data processed by that technology; operational benefits from the new ERP system. Forward-looking statements are provided in this report for the purpose of giving information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of Finning's operating environment. However, readers are cautioned that it may not be appropriate to use such forward-looking statements for any other purpose.

Forward-looking statements made in this report are based on a number of assumptions that Finning believed were reasonable on the day the Company made the forward-looking statements. Refer in particular to the Outlook section of the MD&A. Some of the assumptions, risks, and other factors which could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this report are discussed in the Company's current Annual Information Form (AIF) in Section 4.

Finning cautions readers that the risks described in the AIF are not the only ones that could impact the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Company or that are currently deemed to be immaterial may also have a material adverse effect on Finning's business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Except as otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other unusual items or of any dispositions, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date hereof. The financial impact of these transactions and non-recurring and other unusual items can be complex and depends on the facts particular to each of them. Finning therefore cannot describe the expected impact in a meaningful way or in the same way Finning presents known risks affecting its business.