Johnson Electric Opens Brushless DC Motor Technical Center In Italy

HONG KONG, Feb. 23, 2004 -- Johnson Electric today announced the opening of an engineering and production center in Moncalieri, Italy. The center will focus on brushless DC motors and electronic controls for automotive HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) applications. The new facility, which is located close to European customers and Johnson Electric's main European location in Asti, Italy, is equipped with state-of- the-art CAD systems, EMI (electromagnetic interference) chambers, acoustic chambers and reliability testing labs.

Brushless DC (BLDC) motors with integrated electronics for HVAC applications have several advantages over traditional DC motors. BLDC solutions provide fan speed control, higher reliability, lower noise and lower EMI. Johnson Electric is the brushless motor market leader with 70 percent share of the automotive HVAC segment.

According to Jim Dick, senior vice president - Strategic Marketing, "European automakers pioneered the BLDC HVAC application, and it is now being adopted globally. Johnson Electric's Moncalieri facility is our 'Center of Excellence' for this technology, with over 50 technical experts on site."

Johnson Electric, the largest volume electric motor supplier to the auto industry, employs over 30,000 people in 14 countries, with the majority of the workforce engaged in production activities in China and Mexico. Design engineering centers are located in Hong Kong, Italy, China, Japan, and the USA. The Johnson Electric Group is the motor industry's growth leader, providing micro motors and integrated motor systems to global customers in the automotive, power tools, home appliances, business equipment, audio-visual and personal care sectors. Johnson Electric Holdings Limited is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the Hang Seng Index.