TechnoTrim Announces New Mexican Plant
22 May 1997
TechnoTrim Prepares to Launch New Plant in Mexico to Supply Automotive Seat Covers for Ford, Nissan
Planned start-up of 140,000-square-foot plant
reflects business growth, will create 800 jobs
LIVONIA, Mich., May 22 -- Livonia, Michigan (USA)-based
TechnoTrim, a major supplier of automotive seat covers, is preparing for the
launch of its first facility in Mexico. Senior executives from the company
were on hand today for a groundbreaking ceremony in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila,
Mexico -- the site of TechnoTrim's new, 140,000-square-foot plant where
production will be launched in February 1998.
The company -- a joint-venture between Johnson Controls and
Tachi-S -- is building a 90,000-square-foot addition to an existing 50,000-
square-foot building. Preparations for the plant start-up will begin in June -
- as the addition is being constructed.
The new plant will be TechnoTrim's fourth -- and largest -- manufacturing
site. It currently operates facilities in Glasgow, Kentucky; Maysville,
Kentucky; and Stockton, California. TechnoTrim's Ramos Arizpe plant will
supply seat covers for vehicles manufactured by Ford and Nissan.
"Opening this new facility is a very positive step for us, as it reflects
a significant expansion of our business," said Paul Elliott, vice president
and general manager for TechnoTrim. "The Ramos Arizpe plant will enable us to
meet customers' expectations, enhance our competitive advantages, and create
new jobs," he said.
Beginning next month, TechnoTrim will begin training and hiring new
workers at the plant, and installing production equipment. By 1999, the
facility is expected to employ approximately 800 people -- and produce more
than 1 million sets of automotive seat covers.
Products from the facility will be shipped to six plants in the United
States and Canada operated by automotive seating and interiors supplier
Johnson Controls.
TechnoTrim, a joint venture of Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls and Tokyo-
based Tachi-S, was founded in 1986. It employs more than 2,000 people at four
locations. Cloth, vinyl and leather seat covers -- and over "cut-and-sew"
products from TechnoTrim -- are integrated into dozens of vehicles
manufactured in North America --including cars and trucks built by Chrysler,
General Motors, Honda, Mitsubishi, NUMMI, Nissan and Toyota.
Johnson Controls is the world's largest supplier of automotive seating and
interior systems. Tachi-S is Japan's largest independent manufacturer of
automotive seating systems.
Fact Sheet: TechnoTrim, Inc.
Headquarters: 31478 Industrial Road, #400, Livonia, Michigan 48150
USA
Founded: 1986
Senior official: Paul Elliott, Vice President and General Manager
Employees: More than 2,000.
Parent companies: Johnson Controls, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
and Tachi-S Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan
Plant locations: Three in operation: Glasgow, Kentucky; Maysville,
Kentucky; and Stockton, California. One set for
production launch in early 1998: Ramos Arizpe,
Coahuila, Mexico.
Products: Cloth, vinyl and leather automotive seat covers, and
other "cut-and-sew" interior products.
Direct customers: Complete seat plants operated by Johnson Controls;
other tier-one automotive suppliers.
"End" customers/ Chrysler, General Motors, Honda, Mitsubishi,
automakers: NUMMI, Nissan, and Toyota.
Recent honors: TechnoTrim recently won the 1997 Shingo Prize for
Excellence in Manufacturing from the National
Association of Manufacturers, a highly prestigious
industry award.
Parent company Johnson Controls is the world's largest supplier of
background: automotive seating and interior systems. Tachi-S is
Japan's largest producer of automotive seating.
SOURCE Johnson Controls, Inc.