Invest in France Agency Fetes Delphi, Harman, Moll And Timken Automotive Award Winners

    DETROIT, March 7 The winners of the Sixth Annual Invest in
France Automotive Awards, organized by the Invest in France Agency, the French
agency for international investment, were presented Tuesday evening at a
cocktail reception at the Pontchartrain Hotel.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010307/DEW031 )
    Accepting the honors for their respective companies were: Guy C. Hachey
president, Delphi Diesel Systems Division and vice president, Delphi Energy &
Chassis Systems; Gregg Stapleton, president & COO, Harman International
Industries; George Votis, chairman & CEO, Moll Industries; and James W.
Griffith, president & COO of The Timken Company.
    The awards were presented by His Excellency Didier Lombard, Ambassador-at-
large, Special Representative of France for International Investment.  Mr.
Lombard noted that Europe is now becoming a powerhouse in the global
automotive industry.  "If you want to be active in the auto industry, you have
to be in Europe," he said, adding that "If you want to be in Europe, you
should also be in France."
    In their acceptance remarks, the four company leaders said that France was
essential to the current success of their businesses, noting the business-
friendly environment in the country, and stressing the many years in France in
which they have been able to grow rewarding business relationships.  James
Griffith, for example, traced The Timken Company's activities in France as far
back as 1918, when it supplied the French army with roller bearings during
World War I.
    The awardees foresee a tremendous growth in the French auto industry in
the years ahead, not only in a growing market for traditional parts, but also
in the newly emerging high-tech areas of telematics and in-vehicle sound
systems.
    The Award Trophy for each recipient was a limited-edition crystal
automobile designed and fabricated by the world-renowned glasswork
manufacturer Compagnie Francaise du Cristal Daum, established in Lorraine
since 1878.
    The Invest in France Automotive Awards are held under the patronage of His
Excellency Didier Lombard; the Honorable Jean-Rene Gehan, consul general of
France in Chicago; and Remi Girardot, president, Invest in France Agency North
America.
    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.
    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.
    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.  In addition to access to financial and fiscal incentives, IFANA's
services include key industry contacts, site selection studies and regulatory
information, as well as assistance in identifying potential partners and
acquisition opportunities.  More information about IFANA is available online
at http://www.investinfrancena.org