Johnson Controls Gains Top Supplier Honors from General Motors
7 May 1999
Johnson Controls Gains Top Supplier Honors from General Motors, Named Best Among 30,000 Companies Worldwide for 1998
Leading producer of vehicle interior systems
recognized as 'GM Corporation of the Year'
PLYMOUTH, Mich., May 6 -- Johnson Controls -- a
leading, international manufacturer of automotive interior systems -- has been
named as General Motors' top worldwide supplier for 1998. In
gaining GM's prestigious "Corporation of the Year" honor, Johnson Controls was
cited for excellence in innovation, quality, service, technology and price.
The award was presented on Wednesday, May 5 at the automaker's North American
Supplier of the Year event in Detroit.
Johnson Controls supplies a variety of vehicle interior systems and
components to GM locations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.
General Motors selected Johnson Controls as its top supplier for 1998 from
among the 184 firms that won GM's 1998 "Supplier of the Year" awards. Johnson
Controls was named a GM Supplier of the Year for the fourth time in a row. GM
has more than 30,000 suppliers worldwide.
Harold Kutner, GM vice president and group executive, Worldwide Purchasing
and North American Production Control and Logistics, presented the award to
John Barth, Johnson Controls' president and chief operating officer.
Barth called the top supplier award an "extraordinary honor from one of
the world's elite companies." He saluted Johnson Controls employees worldwide
for their excellent performance, and vowed to continue the company's
commitment to a successful partnership with GM.
"Thousands of Johnson Controls employees have contributed to this
milestone -- and to exceeding the expectations of General Motors," he said.
"The award confirms that our work in the areas of cost, quality, delivery,
technology and innovation adds substantial value to GM's mission worldwide."
Kutner said Johnson Controls is a great company that epitomizes the
desired traits of General Motors' top suppliers worldwide.
"Johnson Controls has been a leader with 'ground-breaking' innovations for
vehicle interiors, a proven ability to deliver high-quality products, and
strong support for our cost-reduction efforts," Kutner said. "The company's
worldwide team is quite deserving of our top-supplier designation for 1998."
Kutner said Johnson Controls officials have served on General Motors'
North American Supplier Council, and soon will join the automaker's Latin
American Supplier Council. He said the company also provides strong support
for GM's Equal Partners Program -- and is participating in one of the auto
manufacturer's largest joint-venture operations to develop minority suppliers
and create jobs in Detroit's Empowerment Zone. Johnson Controls recently
formed a minority-owned joint venture that will supply interior systems for GM
vehicles beginning in the summer of 1999.
Organizations honored in GM's supplier awards program were evaluated by
teams of company 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.
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.
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.