U.S. Suppliers Earn Top Toyota Awards
COVINGTON, Ky., March 7 Among the twenty-one companies
qualifying for Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc.'s (TMMNA) top
supplier awards, AK Steel Corporation and U.S. Engine Valve Company again
earned Superior Awards, the company's highest level of recognition. The
awards, presented tonight in Northern Kentucky at the automaker's Annual
Supplier Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony, acknowledge those suppliers who
have met Toyota's highest standards in quality, delivery and value improvement
for parts, materials, and transportation.
AK Steel of Middletown, Oh., a sheet metal manufacturer, received two
Superior Awards bringing the company's total to eight Superior Awards and six
Excellent Awards since 1994. Westminster, S.C. supplier, U.S. Engine Valve,
was honored with one Superior Award and one Excellent Award this evening. The
company's new award count is eight Superior Awards and seven Excellent Awards
since 1992.
In addition to AK Steel and U.S. Engine Valve, three other suppliers won
the Superior Award (see attached for complete list of Superior and Excellent
Award winners), including: Nova Chemicals, Inc., Monaca, Pa. (delivery); NSK
Corporation, Franklin, Ind. (quality); and Ambrake Corporation, Elizabethtown,
Ky. (delivery).
Toyota's Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony brings together the
automaker's approximately 500 North American suppliers to share expectations
for the coming business year and to recognize outstanding performance among
suppliers. With plans to reach annual capacity of 1.45 million cars and
trucks and 1.16 million engines by 2003, Toyota's increased manufacturing
investment in North America has a significant impact on the amount of goods
and services purchased in North America. During the 1999 fiscal year, Toyota
purchased nearly $13 billion worth of parts and materials made in the U.S.
(including exported parts).
The Annual Business Meeting featured a keynote address by Philip Evans,
senior vice president with The Boston Consulting Group and coauthor of the
best-selling "Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information Transforms
Strategy." He explored information from his book and "how to win in the
second wave of the Internet revolution."
By 2003, Toyota will employ some 33,000 people throughout North America.
Toyota's North American-produced vehicles include the Camry, Avalon, Sienna,
Solara, Sequoia, Corolla, Tundra, and Tacoma. The new Matrix, unveiled at the
Detroit auto show, will join the North American-built lineup in 2002, and
beginning in the fall of 2003, the Lexus RX300 will also be produced here.
2000 Toyota Supplier Award Winners
Supplier Plant Location Part/Material Award
Category
Superior
Indiana NSK Corporation Franklin Wheel bearings Quality
Kentucky Ambrake Elizabethtown Brake drums, Delivery
Corporation calipers,
parking brake
Ohio AK Steel Corporation Middletown Sheet steel Quality &
Delivery
Pennsylvania Nova Chemicals, Monaca Thermoplastics - Delivery
Inc. instrument panel
substrate
South
Carolina U.S. Engine Valve Westminster Engine valves Quality
Company
Excellent
Florida Florida Production Ormand Wheel trim Quality
Engineering Beach
Illinois MBL (USA) Corp. Ottawa Belts Quality
Indiana ArvinMeritor Franklin Stampings and Quality
exhaust manifolds
Kentucky Ambrake Elizabethtown Brake drums, Quality
Corporation calipers,
parking brake
AP Technoglass Co. Florence Glass Value
Improvement
Sumitomo Electric Bowling Green Wire harnesses Value
Wiring Systems, Inc. Improvement
Trim Masters, Inc. Bardstown Door trim Quality
Louisiana Huntsman
Polyurethanes Geismar Isocyanate Quality
Michigan Shape Corporation Grand Haven Bumper Value
reinforcement Improvement
Missouri Bodine Aluminum, St. Louis Engine castings Value
Inc. Improvement
New Jersey Johnson Matthey Westdeptford Precious metals Quality &
for catalytic Delivery
converters
North
Carolina NGK-Locke Charlotte Ceramic Delivery
substrate
Pennsylvania Nova Chemicals, Monaca Thermoplastics - Quality
Inc. instrument panel
substrate
South
Carolina Dayco Products, Williston Belts Quality
Inc.
Denso International
America, Inc. Anderson Fuel pumps Quality
U.S. Engine Valve Westminster Engine valves Delivery
Tennessee Perfect Equipment Murfreesboro Wheel weights Delivery
Corporation
TRW Fuji Valve, Sevierville Engine valves Quality
Inc.
Texas Carpenter Chemical Bayport Polyol Delivery
Products
West Virginia Diamond Electric Eleanor Ignition Coils Quality
Manufacturing
Corp.
