Ford Recognizes Johnson Controls and Its Joint Ventures for Top Qualit

PLYMOUTH, Mich., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Johnson Controls was recognized by the Ford Motor Company with four 2004 World Excellence Awards, honoring the company as one of the automaker's top suppliers in the world for its exemplary performance during the past year. An awards ceremony was held on April 28, 2005 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. More than 200 of Ford's production and non-production suppliers attended the seventh annual event.

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The Ford World Excellence Awards -- presented annually -- are designed to provide recognition based on quality, cost and delivery performance. A total of 52 suppliers from 21 nations won awards from Ford in various categories.

At the event, officials from Johnson Controls and two of the company's joint ventures accepted four major prizes. Johnson Controls received a Recognition of Achievement Award for its outstanding Diversity and Community Service activities.

VB Autobaterie GmbH -- a joint venture between Johnson Controls and Robert Bosch in Burgos, Spain that produces vehicle batteries -- was recognized by Ford with a Gold Award for top performance in quality, cost and delivery during 2004. It was the only battery supplier to gain this recognition.

In addition, Tata Johnson Controls Automotive Ltd., a joint venture between Johnson Controls and Tata Auto Component Systems in Chengalpattu, India that produces vehicle seat systems, gained Gold Award recognition from the automaker. The firm -- which supplies seats for Ford Fusion and Fiesta models -- was the only Indian company to receive the honors.

VB Autobaterie and Tata Johnson Controls were two of only 17 companies worldwide to receive the prestigious Gold Award this year.

Johnson Controls' Hudson, Wisconsin seating manufacturing plant also was honored with a Silver Award for excellent quality, cost and delivery performance last year. Ford presented Silver Awards to 26 suppliers worldwide.

Johnson Controls and its joint ventures, with its four awards, received the most honors of any supplier at the event. In addition, Johnson Controls was the only seat system supplier honored with awards for 2004.

There are three types of World Excellence Awards from Ford -- Gold, Silver and Recognition of Achievement. The Gold and Silver Awards are presented to suppliers that excel in quality, cost and delivery.

The Ford World Excellence Award - Recognition of Achievement is given to suppliers that have an impact on customer satisfaction by providing significant contributions in the following key initiatives at Ford: social responsibility; consumer-driven Six Sigma; diversity and community service; and new consumer-focused technology and high mileage improvement activities. A total of nine suppliers received these awards for 2004.

The World Excellence Award for Diversity and Community Service was presented to Johnson Controls for its procurement of more than $1billion annually from diverse suppliers as part of the Billion Dollar Roundtable; assisting 100 non-profit companies; and establishing an outstanding community involvement program.

"We are pleased to be recognized for outstanding performance in a variety of important areas during 2004 by Ford," said Keith Wandell, president of the Automotive Group of Johnson Controls. "Johnson Controls is strongly committed to customer satisfaction and to being an outstanding global partner with Ford."

Tony Brown, Ford's senior vice president for global purchasing, congratulated Johnson Controls and its employees for playing an essential role in helping the automaker to deliver quality products to its customers.

"For achieving the highest level of performance, we gratefully recognize Johnson Controls for its exceptional contributions and efforts," said Brown. "Tonight we recognize the best of our best suppliers, and you are an impressive group providing us with a wide range of outstanding products."

In its longstanding business relationship with Ford, Johnson Controls supplies the company with automotive seating, interior systems and batteries for various vehicles built in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. For the 2005 model-year, some of Ford's most-popular vehicles built in North America feature content from Johnson Controls, including the Ford 500, Crown Victoria, Econoline, Escape, Excursion, Expedition, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac, F-Series, Focus, Freestar, Freestyle, Ikon, Mustang, Ranger, Taurus and Thunderbird; the Lincoln Aviator, LS, Mark LT, Navigator and Town Car; and the Mercury Grand Marquis, Mariner, Montego, Monterey, Mountaineer and Sable.

Johnson Controls is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is the largest supplier of integrated seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non- residential facilities, Johnson Controls provides control systems and services including comfort, energy and security management. Johnson Controls , founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.