Johnson Controls Honored as '1999 Corporation of the Year'
4 October 1999
Johnson Controls Honored as '1999 Corporation of the Year' By the Michigan Minority Business Development Council
Company Earns Top Award Three Times in Past Four Years
For Leadership in Supporting, Developing Minority Firms
PLYMOUTH, Mich., Oct. 4 -- During the past five years,
Johnson Controls has been a leader in supporting and doing
business with minority-owned companies. For its recent efforts in this area,
the automotive interior supplier has been named "Corporation of the Year" for
1999 by the Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC).
Officials from MMBDC presented the Corporation of the Year Award to
Johnson Controls during the group's annual recognition dinner, held last week
at Cobo Center in Detroit. More than 3,000 people attended the event.
Johnson Controls, a major, global manufacturer of vehicle interior
systems, has a formal program to recruit and develop minority-owned suppliers.
In 1999, the company purchased more than $235 million in goods and services
from minority-owned firms, a figure that's expected to grow to $317 million in
fiscal-year 2000.
MMBDC, a voluntary organization with more than 1,000 members, works to
create links between major automotive companies and minority businesses.
This year marks the third time in the past four years in which Johnson
Controls has gained MMBDC Corporation of the Year recognition.
"We're extremely honored to receive the MMBDC award once again, because it
recognizes our ongoing commitment to diversity, and to the minority business
community," said John Barth, president and chief operating officer for Johnson
Controls. "Supporting minority business not only makes sense from a social and
economic perspective -- it's an outstanding business strategy that contributes
to our bottom line," he said.
At the event last night, MMBDC honored individuals and companies for
supporting minority businesses. Johnson Controls received the 1999 Corporation
of the Year Award in the "Industrial Purchasing Sector -- Tier-One Supplier"
category.
Here are highlights of Johnson Controls' recent activities and
achievements in support of minority-owned firms:
The company...
* Has integrated "minority business development" as a key component of
its strategic business plan. Purchases from minority-owned companies are
targeted to grow each year.
* Increased its level of purchasing from minority suppliers by more than
100 percent between 1998 and 1999, from $116 million to $235 million.
* Requires its vendors to develop and implement their own minority
business development programs.
* Has developed successful partnerships in support of minority
businesses. For example, Johnson Controls is a joint-venture partner in
Bridgewater Interiors, LLC of Detroit, a minority-owned firm with a $900
million contract to supply complete seat systems for model-year 2000 Cadillac
DeVille vehicles.
* Sponsors educational fellowships for officials from minority-owned
firms. In both 1998 and 1999, Johnson Controls funded MMBDC fellowships that
enabled executives to attend special programs at the graduate business school
of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
* Convenes trade shows and other events to encourage companies to
purchase goods and services from minority firms.
* Provides ongoing mentoring and training to minority suppliers.
* Has been a strong contributor to MMBDC. For the past four years, Barth
has served as the group's vice chairman.
* Recently launched a private web site on the Internet that helps Johnson
Controls employees, customers and suppliers link-up with minority suppliers.
"We've taken a positive concept -- 'minority supplier development' -- and
translated it into a real plan of action that generates significant impact and
benefits all around," said Larry Alles, Johnson Controls' vice president of
purchasing - worldwide.
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. For model-year 1999, the
company supplied interior products for more than 22 million vehicles. It is a
leading innovator and top producer of fully integrated vehicle overhead
systems.
Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global 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 non-residential
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: David Roznowski of Johnson Controls, Inc., 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/