Perfect fit Johnson Controls

PERFECT FIT

Johnson Controls Europe is a global technology leader in the manufacture of automotive interiors. This includes seating, overhead systems, floor consoles, door panels and instrument panels. The company recently presented its suppliers with their annual awards for outstanding achievements, as Philip Yorke reports.

Johnson Controls is a global leader in the design and manufacture of automotive interiors and provides a diverse range of interior systems and fittings for the world’s major passenger car brands. Headquartered in Burscheid, Germany, the company operates 220 production plants and development centres worldwide. Johnson Controls employs more than 170,000 people who serve customers in over 150 countries worldwide. It is these highly skilled engineers and the company’s dedicated suppliers that keep Johnson Controls at the forefront of the automotive interiors sector. Today with its global capabilities, Johnson Controls supplies key interior components to more than 50 million cars per year.

Suppliers awarded for outstanding performance

At Neuss, Germany in October this year, Johnson Controls presented its annual European Supplier Awards. A total of fourteen suppliers to the interiors business were recognised for outstanding achievements at the Classic Remise in Düsseldorf, with a performance and/or leadership award. These coveted annual awards are based on quality, cost, logistics, development, technology and service. Depending upon the number of points earned, Johnson Controls honours suppliers with a gold, silver or bronze Supplier Performance Award. Twelve companies that provide injection-moulded parts received an award this year.

Three Johnson Controls suppliers received the gold performance awards. These were Polydesign Systems from Canada for leather and PVC components, Basell Deutschland GmbH for chemicals and plastics, and Taiwanese supplier Macauto Industrial Co, for its sun visors and tonneau covers.

The silver award was given to Izo-Blok SA, Jute Kassel GmbH, Polyvlies Franz Beyer GmbH, Luebke & Vogt Gmbh, Xin Point Corporation and Total Research & Technology Feluy.

Vulcaflex SpA, BASF Polyeurothanes GmbH and Stuyron Deutschland Anlagengesellschaft mbH were all honoured with a bronze Supplier Performance Award. Three suppliers receive top leadership awards

The criteria for the Leadership Award were based on factors considered critical to the company’s success, such as sustainability, innovation, optimal quality, customer satisfaction, global growth and continuous performance improvement. This year, three Johnson Controls Interiors suppliers received the sought-after Leadership Award. These were, Polyvlies Franz Beyer GmbH of Germany, Maier s. Coop of Spain and Muerdter Dvorak s.r.o of the Czech Republic.

Polyvlies received the Leadersip Award in the global growth category for expansion of its facilities and its excellent performance in research and development.

This year the customer satisfaction award went to the Spanish company: Maier S, Coop, a supplier of coated surface interior modules, was recognised for its proactive methods, expertise, and technical product characteristics, which were optimised in the product development phase. Supplier Murdter Dvorak received the Leadership Award in the continu-

ous improvement category. They achieved considerable improvements in production efficiency, reduction of rejects and overall production control.

Advanced multi-material systems

Through the use of its innovative multimaterial systems, Johnson Controls has achieved seating that is 40 per cent lighter in its ‘CAMISMA’ lightweight project. At its headquarters in Burscheid, Germany Johnson Controls received this year’s CLEPA Innovation Award in the ‘Green’ category for its cuttingedge work in the CAMISMA Research Project. Working with its partners from industry and science, the Johnson Controls team, working with a newly developed seat structure, succeeded in drastically reducing the use of steel and light alloys by replacing them with new multi-material systems.

“Lightweight Technologies, which save resources and lower pollutant emissions, are in greater demand than ever in the automotive industry. We are making great investments in working with new materials, skills, and manufacturing processes, in order to give customers the best possible support with innovative seating products,” said Andreas Eppinger, group vice-president Technology Management at Johnson Controls Automotive Experience.

Other prestigious awards were earned by the company when it was ranked highest in the automotive seating industry with six J.D.Power satisfaction awards. Johnson Controls was recently recognised in the JD Power 2014 Seat Quality and Satisfaction study as the supplier providing the highest-quality seats in three out of seven vehicle segments. The company received six awards overall, three for Johnson Controls and three for its joint venture partners, Avanzar Interior Technologies Ltd and Bridgewater Interiors.

Having been participant of Johnson Control’s Improvement Process Mürdter Dvořák, lisovna, spol. s.r.o received one of the Leadership Awards 2014 for outstanding improvements implemented to Johnson Controls‘ satisfaction.

Mürdter Dvořák, lisovna, spol. s.r.o is proud being an important supplier to Johnson Controls and would like to say ank you for the high level of con dence placed in Mürdter Dvořák, lisovna.

Mürdter Dvořák lisovna’s main products are injection moulded and painted components and assemblies, mainly for the interior of a car, focussing on development of light weight technologies in order to reduce CO2 emissions.

Mürdter Dvořák lisovna is a part of the global acting Mürdter companies which are able to o er full service for the automotive industry in engineering and manufacturing of tools as well as in injection moulding of thermoplastic parts, including painting and assembly.

Mürdter Werkzeug- und Formenbau GmbH Mürdter Metall- u.Kunststo verarbeitung GmbH 73557 Mutlangen Germany Mürdter Dvořák, nástrojárna, spol.s.r.o Mürdter Dvořák, lisovna, spol.s.r.o 79 814 Olsany Czech Republic Mürdter Tooling (Nanjing) Co.Ltd.

Nanjing 210049 P.R. China

Polyvlies Franz Beyer GmbH & Co. KG

The German Company Polyvlies Franz Beyer GmbH & Co. KG develops, produces and finishes technical nonwovens made out of synthetic, natural and/or mineral fibers.

In addition to the Silver Supplier Performance Award Polyvlies received the Leadership Award in the Global Growth category.

Polyvlies received the award for the expansion of its production facilities and excellent performance in research and development which enabled the company to be globally competitive.

Safety and innovation

Product and vehicle safety has become a key purchasing criterion, and consumers expect their vehicles’ interiors to provide maximum protection for all occupants. However, today the focus is not on safety alone. Innovation is at the centre of all Johnson Controls’ R&D activities and this plays a key part in the company’s operations. There are countless examples of innovative products resulting from the major investments made by the company in its cutting-edge R&D.

For example, it has developed an automatic seat adjustment system that brings the driver’s seat into a comfortable and safe position based upon the size of the driver. Recently the company also introduced a door panel that was produced using its latest compression hybrid moulding process technology. This unique technology for manufacturing door panels is able to combine the benefits of both natural fibre components and thermoplastic injection moulding techniques. Earlier this year the company announced that it will be supplying key components for the new Mercedes Benz S-Class saloons. n

For further details of Johnson Controls innovative products and services visit: www.johnsoncontrols.com