Johnson Controls Awarded Seat Systems Contract For Ford and Lincoln Models Produced in Michigan

PLYMOUTH, Mich., March 5 -- Automotive interior supplier Johnson Controls has been selected by Ford Motor Company to build and supply complete seat systems for a number of Ford and Lincoln models that are manufactured at the automaker's southeast Michigan plants.

The supplier will provide seating systems for the Ford Focus, Expedition and Mustang, and the Lincoln Navigator and Town Car. Ford manufactures Focus, Navigator and Expedition models in Wayne, Michigan, Town Cars in Wixom, Michigan and Mustang vehicles in Dearborn, Michigan. Johnson Controls will assume operational responsibilities for current seating production for these vehicles in Chesterfield, Michigan. The Chesterfield plant site was previously operated by Visteon Corporation.

Details on the terms of the agreement were not released.

In 2004, seating assembly operations will be relocated to other Johnson Controls manufacturing sites within southeast Michigan, including one new facility. Company officials said locations for this work will be identified at a future date.

"This is a substantial new seating business award for Johnson Controls. It further strengthens our relationship with Ford and helps us grow in an area of core competency for Johnson Controls," said Rande Somma, president of the company's Automotive Systems Group. "We are very pleased to have been selected by our customer to provide world-class seating products for these car and truck models."

Johnson Controls provides vehicle seating, interior components and batteries for a variety of Ford Motor Company models manufactured in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. The company has received a number of awards from Ford, including Ford World Excellence Awards for quality, delivery and warranty reduction in seating and interiors. In addition, Ford will be the first automaker to feature the award-winning Overhead Rail System by Johnson Controls, in its 2004 F-series pickup trucks. The product won a 2002 Industrial Design Excellence Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Currently, Johnson Controls builds and supplies first-row seats for Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition models at its Plymouth, Michigan plant. In addition, the company designed and developed Focus seat systems, and builds them for Ford in Schwalbach, Germany and Valencia, Spain for the European market.

Johnson Controls is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major supplier of integrated seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non-residential facilities, Johnson Controls provides control systems and services, including comfort, energy and security management. Johnson Controls , founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (U.S.A.).

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