Johnson Contols Will Take 885 Jobs from Kentucky to Mexico - Olay

HOLLAND, Mich. March 29, 2004; James Prichard writing for the AP reported that automotive supplier Johnson Controls Inc. plans to transfer sun visor production from its plants here and in Glasgow, Ky., to a Mexican factory, resulting in 885 job cuts.

The layoffs will be at the Southview component plant in Holland. The affected workers will be a mix of salaried and hourly employees, company officials said Monday.

Officials were unable to immediately say how many jobs will be lost at the Glasgow plant, though it will be fewer than in Holland, spokesman Bill Dawson said.

Dawson and Jack Murphy, vice president and general manager of interior operations, said production at the U.S. plants will be phased out over 18 months, beginning this summer.

Murphy met Monday with Holland employees to announce the decision to consolidate sun visor manufacturing at the company's plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

Johnson Controls makes sun visor for vehicles produced by General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG, Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

The company has about 5,000 employees in the Holland area and 9,300 throughout Michigan.

The Southview plant also employs 427 workers who make door panels. Those workers will not be affected.

Johnson Controls automotive group is based in Plymouth, Mich. Its world headquarters is in Milwaukee.

Johnson Controls Inc., http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/