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Continental Teves N.A. Event Promotes Partnerships With Suppliers

10 October 2000

Continental Teves N.A. Event Promotes Partnerships With Suppliers

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 10 Continental Teves N.A. took
another step today in its aggressive growth strategy, hosting its top 100
supplier partners in a day-long conference outlining supplier strategy,
performance expectations and future business opportunities.
    Continental Teves N.A. used the occasion to recognize three of its key
suppliers for their excellent performance and extraordinary efforts to exceed
expectations.
    "Our suppliers are key stakeholders in creating value for our customers,"
said Bill Kozyra, president Continental Teves North America.  "In order to
support our aggressive growth goals, we want to develop long-term partnerships
that focus on superior technology, leadership, innovation and a commitment to
quality without compromise."
    Suppliers Kaiser Aluminum, sensor supplier NJRC, and Whitlam Labels,
received Continental Teves' 2000 Leadership Supplier Awards for exceeding
requirements in the several important areas: quality, delivery, technical
performance, commercial excellence and diversity supply initiatives.
    The conference was held at the Tiger Club in the Detroit Tigers' new
Comerica Park.  The conference emphasized the importance of teamwork and
commitment, ideas that were driven home by guest speaker Tom Izzo, head coach
of Michigan State University's 2000 NCAA championship men's basketball team.
Norm Thomas, director of purchasing for Ford Motor Company also will be on
hand to discuss Ford standards and procedures to help suppliers to better
understand expectations and how they fit in the process.
    Topics of the open-forum discussion included delivery strategies, just-in-
time concepts, target-based sourcing, warranty sharing, productivity through
lean manufacturing, Kaizen techniques, and cost-improvement programs to name a
few.
    As Continental Teves continues to strive to reach its aggressive growth
goals, supplier partnerships are critical, Kozyra said.  Continental AG
recently announced plans to double its worldwide sales in the next five years
through an equal blend of internal growth and portfolio management.  In North
America, Continental Teves has doubled its business since 1997, and intends to
triple its 1997 level by 2003.
    Continental Teves, headquartered in Frankfurt/Main Germany, is a unit of
Continental AG, Hanover, Germany.  With 1999 sales of US $2.6 billion,
Continental Teves is a world leader in the design, development and supply of
critical brake and chassis systems that contribute to driving safety, comfort
and peace of mind.  The company's North American headquarters is located in
Auburn Hills, Mich.