Delphi, Harman, Moll and Timken Receive French Award in
Detroit
CHICAGO, March 2 Delphi Automotive Systems, Harman
International industries, Moll Industries and The Timken Company will receive
the Invest in France Automotive Award, during a cocktail reception to be held
at 6:30 PM on March 6, 2001 at the Pontchartrain Hotel in Detroit
Accepting the honors for their respective companies are: Guy C. Hachey,
president, Delphi Energy and Chassis Systems Division and vice president,
Delphi Automotive Systems; Gregory P. Stapleton, president & COO, Harman
International Industries; George Votis, chairman & CEO, Moll Industries; and
James W. Griffith, president & COO, The Timken Company.
The Invest in France Automotive Awards are held under the patronage of His
Excellency Didier Lombard, ambassador-at-large, special representative of
France for international investment; the Honorable Jean-Rene Gehan, consul
general of France in Chicago; and Remi Girardot, president, Invest in France
Agency-North America.
The winning companies were selected for the following reasons:
-- Delphi Automotive Systems invested more than $80 million in their
French operations in 2000 alone, and further expanded its European
presence through the recent acquisitions of Lucas Diesel Systems and APDS
(AP Distribution Services). Delphi maintains its European Headquarters in
Roissy near Paris. With 7300 employees in France, Delphi operates 11
manufacturing sites and 2 technical centers. Delphi is a world leader in
mobile electronics and transportation components, and systems technology.
-- Harman International Industries expanded its operations in western
France at Chateau-du-Loir, near Le Mans. The site will serve as the
company's European and Asian headquarters for Harman brands JBL, Infinity,
and Harman Kardon, and will include research and development, marketing
activities as well as worldwide logistics outside of North America. The
site has received annual investments of about FF45 million each of the
past three years and the number of employees will reach 900 in 2001
-- Moll Industries, Inc., one of the world's largest diversified
manufacturers of injection-molded plastic components and assemblies,
opened a new facility in Villefranche-sur-Saone, near Lyon in April 2000.
Moll employs 750 employees at nine locations in France. Moll serves
customers in the automotive, appliance, business machines,
telecommunications, medical, packaging and other industries.
-- The Timken Company announced plans for a new $5 million technology
center at the company's existing manufacturing site in Colmar, Alsace,
creating 45 new jobs. Product testing and development now performed at
the company's UK facility will be transferred to Colmar. Timken also plans
to transfer its European distribution activities from existing facilities
to a central warehouse in Strasbourg, also in Alsace, to provide products
to customers on a timely basis, maximize inventory and safety stocks and
streamline shipping and transportation. Timken is a leading global
producer of highly engineered bearings and alloy steels with operations in
24 countries.
The Award Trophy is a limited-edition crystal car designed and fabricated
by Compagnie Francaise du Cristal Daum, the world-renowned glasswork
manufacturer established in Lorraine since 1878.
The Invest in France Agency (IFA) is the French agency for international
investment. IFA's mission is to foster and facilitate international
companies' business development in France. The Invest in France Agency North
America (IFANA) provides U.S. and Canadian executives with customized,
confidential complimentary services and information to support the
implementation of their European strategy in France.
Through the Invest in France Automotive Award, the Invest in France Agency
honors leading North American automotive companies who have a significant
presence in France. Since 1996, the award has been presented to 21 North
American corporations in the automotive industry during the SAE World Congress
in Detroit, Michigan.
