Visteon at Palmela - an Overview

    PALMELA, Portugal, March 26 Visteon Corporation
has three main manufacturing operations at its state-of-the-art Palmela
manufacturing facility in Portugal:  climate control, electronics and
plastics.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001201/DEF008LOGO )
    Visteon has had a major presence in Palmela since 1991, when the
electronics plant was first established as Ford Electronica Portuguesa,
following an investment of $120 million (USD).  Today, with nearly 1,700
people employed by the plant, Visteon is one of the largest employers in the
area.
    The 82,100-square-meter electronics plant produces in-vehicle radio
cassettes, power amplifiers, CD systems, electronic air bag modules,
instrument clusters, electronic temperature control modules, voice activated
control modules, air handling and heater valve control modules.  Nearly six
million units are produced annually at the plant for OEMs such as Fiat Auto,
Ford, Nissan, Jaguar, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz.
    The compressor plant was opened in 1998 with an investment of $150 million
(USD).  The plant's opening brought nearly 300 new jobs to the area in
addition to the 1,700 jobs that existed at the Palmela site.  Currently, the
18,150-square-meter scroll compressor plant employs 350 people.
    In addition to the scroll compressor plant, the plastics operation at
Palmela was launched in 1997 and represented an investment of approximately
$5.8 million (USD) for the company.  The operation currently uses three 1,000-
ton capacity injection-molding machines and four 300-ton capacity machines.
    The plastics operation supplies all of the air handling components for the
Sharan (VW), Galaxy (Ford) and Alhambra (SEAT) vehicles, all of which are
manufactured at the AutoEuropa plant (VW Group).
    In keeping with Visteon's corporate commitment to quality, Visteon's
Palmela plant has been recognized for its quality efforts with several
certifications.  For example, the Palmela facility was the first plant ever to
earn Ford's highly coveted Q1 rating on its inaugural inspection.  Since then,
the plant has gained accreditation under international quality standards
ISO9001 and ISO14001, as well as the new quality standard TS16949.
    Other quality-related awards the Palmela facility has received include the
"Best Use of National Resources Electricity of Portugal," and recently the
"Best Company in Portugal" for its safety practices, by the Portuguese
insurance company, Bonanca.
    "We're very proud of our efforts here at Palmela.  The workforce has
adapted quickly and enthusiastically to the latest technology, distribution
and management methods, including the creation of self-managed teams focusing
on vital areas such as customer satisfaction, logistics, maintenance,
administration and health-and-safety," said Palmela Plant Manager Sunil
Bilolikar.  "There is great potential for further growth -- and the site still
offers ample space for expansion to support new business from OEMs."
    Visteon Corporation is a leading full-service supplier that delivers
consumer-driven technology solutions to automotive manufacturers worldwide and
through multiple channels within the global automotive aftermarket.  Visteon
has 82,000 employees and a global delivery system of more than 130 technical,
manufacturing, sales, and service facilities located in 25 countries.