Johnson Controls Mobilizes a Team of Companies
19 November 1998
Johnson Controls Mobilizes a Team of Companies To Develop and Support Minority-owned Businesses
Automotive interior supplier launches innovative program
jointly with Michigan Minority Business Development Council
PLYMOUTH, Mich., Nov. 18 -- When you put a group of business
people in the same room, there's a good chance they'll learn a lot from each
other -- and there's an even better chance that they'll "do business"
together. That's the premise of an effort developed jointly by automotive
interior supplier Johnson Controls and the Michigan Minority Business
Development Council (MMBDC). The initiative is called Project O.N.E.
(Operation Network Enhancement). Its major goal is to encourage participating
companies to purchase more goods and services from minority-owned suppliers --
and share their management skills, strategies and expertise.
Officials from Johnson Controls are creating a team of business executives
representing 15 to 20 companies, including both minority and non-minority
firms. The group will meet regularly during the next 12 months and explore
ways to work collaboratively.
Johnson Controls launched the innovative, pilot program in late October
with a day-long meeting at its Plymouth, Michigan technical center. The
keynote speaker for the event was Ernie Green. A Cleveland Browns football
star who played during the 1960s, Green now owns and operates one of the
nation's most successful minority companies in the automotive supplier
industry -- Dayton, Ohio-based Ernie Green Industries. Its customers include
Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota.
"The formula to succeed as a minority company is not dramatically
different from business success strategies in general," said Green. "My
approach is to produce the best, highest value products, deliver them on time,
and be totally consistent and reliable."
Green's message set a positive tone for a meeting that was characterized
as "upbeat, beneficial and energizing" by Larry Alles, vice president and
general manager of purchasing worldwide for Johnson Controls.
"We expect significant professional and business relationships to emerge
from this team-building process," said Alles. "In addition, there will be
outstanding opportunities for networking, mentoring and joint problem-
solving."
Johnson Controls is one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive
interior systems.
MMBDC is a voluntary organization -- with more than 1,000 members -- that
works to create linkages between minority-owned and non-minority-owned
companies.
Ernie Green Industries operates five U.S. manufacturing plants that supply
major automakers with wheel covers, wheel hubs, center caps, vehicle
structural products, and other interior and exterior trim parts. Since its
launch in 1981, the company has won numerous quality and performance awards,
including Chrysler's prestigious Platinum Pentastar Award.
During the past several years, Johnson Controls has maintained an
industry-leading program to develop minority businesses. Its ongoing goal is
to buy at least 5 percent of purchased goods and services from qualified
minority vendors. In 1999, Johnson Controls will purchase more than $200
million in goods and services from such companies. Also, the company recently
"loaned" one of it senior executives, Chuck Blaylock, to MMBDC for a two-year
assignment to help provide management services at the organization.
The team being created by Johnson Controls is one of six to be developed
under MMBDC's Project O.N.E. program. Other major companies are expected to
mobilize groups in various sectors, including manufacturing/industry;
construction; communications; consumer products; and health care. The
minority-owned businesses on each team will represent a range of business
services and products. Participants in the group managed by Johnson Controls
include businesses in these areas: advertising/promotion, executive search,
information systems, finance, manufacturing, project management services,
temporary personnel, and travel.
The Plymouth, Michigan-based automotive business of Johnson Controls --
which employs more than 57,000 people at 275 facilities worldwide -- achieved
US$9.3 billion in sales for the 1998 fiscal year. In model-year 1999, it will
supply interior products for more than 22 million vehicles.
Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global market leader in automotive systems and
facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major
supplier of seating and interior systems, and batteries. For nonresidential
facilities, Johnson Controls provides building control systems and services,
energy management and integrated facility management. Johnson Controls
, founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its
sales for 1998 totaled US$12.6 billion.
CONTACT: Dave Roznowski of Johnson Controls, 734-254-5632.
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/473547.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 473547.
Web site: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.