Johnson Controls is Among Best Global Suppliers to GM
3 May 1999
Johnson Controls Takes a 'Front-row Seat' Among Best Global Suppliers to General Motors
Leading producer of vehicle interior systems
honored again as 'GM Supplier of the Year'
PLYMOUTH, Mich., May 3 -- For the fourth year in a row,
Johnson Controls -- a leader in designing, engineering and manufacturing
vehicle interior systems -- has been named a General Motors
"Supplier of the Year." GM annually recognizes its top suppliers worldwide for
outstanding performance in support of the automaker's success. Gaining the
honor for the 1998 calendar year, Johnson Controls was cited specifically for
excellence in supplying automotive seat systems for GM vehicles around the
world.
"GM's Suppliers of the Year represent the 'best of the best,'" said Harold
Kutner, vice president and group executive, Worldwide Purchasing and North
American Production Control and Logistics. "Of GM's 30,000 suppliers, Johnson
Controls is one of only 184 that have achieved Supplier of the Year
distinction for 1998, an honor accorded to those suppliers which have achieved
world-class levels of quality, service, technology and price in support of
General Motors," he said.
Johnson Controls provides vehicle seating systems and components for a
wide variety of General Motors models produced in North America, South
America, Europe and Asia. Some of GM's most popular vehicles for model-year
1999 feature products supplied by Johnson Controls, including the Chevrolet
Astra, Astro van, Blazer, Corsa, Suburban, S-10 pickup, Tahoe, and Vectra; the
GMC Jimmy/Envoy, Safari van, Sierra pickup and Yukon; and the Pontiac Montana
minivan.
"Receiving a GM Supplier of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year
is a significant honor for our company," said John Barth, president and chief
operating officer for Johnson Controls. "Being successful in the eyes of our
customer, without doubt, is the greatest success we can achieve," he said.
In 1998, Johnson Controls' operations in South America also achieved GM
Supplier of the Year honors, in their first year of eligibility for the
awards. The company was among a select group of 18 suppliers in the region
that won 1998 GM Supplier of the Year awards. Johnson Controls operates new
manufacturing facilities in Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela that supply seats
and seat components for GM vehicles assembled in South America.
Companies selected for Supplier of the Year recognition were evaluated by
teams of GM officials from around the world, including experts in purchasing,
quality, engineering and manufacturing.
The automaker's supplier awards effort is a long-standing company
tradition. It started in Germany more than 20 years ago, and expanded to all
of GM Europe in 1989. Seven years ago, the Supplier of the Year program became
international.
General Motors Worldwide Purchasing is a global organization that operates
in four major regions: Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America.
Annually, it purchases about US$86 billion worth of goods and services in
support of GM's worldwide vehicle production. The company builds approximately
8.6 million vehicles yearly in 30 countries around the world.
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 is a global market leader in automotive systems and
facility management and control. For non-residential facilities, Johnson
Controls provides building control systems and services, energy management and
integrated facility management. Johnson Controls , founded in 1885,
has headquarters on Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its sales for 1998 totaled
US$12.6 billion.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For access to other Johnson Controls news releases and
additional company information, visit the company's site on the World Wide Web
at http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.
CONTACT: David 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.