Johnson Controls' Norwood plant adds 55 jobs

Toledo Business Journal, Aug 01, 2005

Officials at Johnson Controls have announced that the company's Northwood, Ohio plant will manufacture seat systems for the 2006 JeepR Wrangler, which is built at the Chrysler Group's Toledo North Assembly Plant. The launch of this program has added approximately 55 new jobs to the Johnson Controls Northwood plant. Production of these seat systems began in July and the 55 positions have been filled.

A seat manufacturing line was added at the Northwood facility to accommodate the new Jeep contract. The Johnson Controls Northwood, Ohio plant is 158,000 square feet and currently employs approximately 151 people, including the aforementioned new positions. The plant, which also is the manufacturing location for the cockpit system for the Jeep Liberty, opened in 2001.

"Johnson Controls is pleased to bring new jobs to the Northwood community," stated Larry Donaldson, group vice president and general manager, North American operations for the automotive group of Johnson Controls. "We would like to thank the UAW, the State of Ohio, and the Northwood community for their support as well."

Previously, the Jeep Wrangler seats were manufactured at Johnson Controls' Taylor, Michigan Plant. This plant will produce seat systems for the 2006 Jeep Commander.

Professor Warren Johnson founded Johnson Controls in 1885 to manufacture his invention, the electric room thermostat. The company has since grown into a multi-billion dollar corporation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It serves the automotive systems and building controls markets from over 500 locations worldwide. It has 123,000 employees and had $26.6 billion in sales in 2004.

Johnson Controls designs, engineers, integrates, manufactures, and delivers automotive interior systems such as seating systems, electronics, instrument panels, overhead systems, floor consoles, door systems, and cargo management systems. Customers include BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Renault, Rover, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Much of the innovation Johnson Controls delivers to customers is the result of integrating electronics into the vehicle interior through systems such as its HomeLink(R) garage door opener, AutoVision(R) rear seat video entertainment system, and PSI(R) remote tire pressure monitoring system. The company uses electronics to create automotive seats that cool, pulse, or adjust to the movements of the body.

Johnson Controls also manufactures original equipment and replacement automotive batteries. Customers include Advance Auto, AutoZone, Carport, Costco, DaimlerChrysler, Diamond-Star, Ford, Honda, Interstate Battery System of America, John Deere, Mazda, Nissan, Pep Boys, Toyota, and Wal-Mart.

Through its controls group, Johnson Controls engineers, manufactures, and installs control systems that automate a building's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning, as well as lighting and fire safety equipment. The company's Metasys(R) building management system is designed to automate a building's mechanical systems for optimal comfort levels while using the least amount of energy. Metasys(R) monitors fire sensors and building access, controls the lights, and tracks equipment maintenance.

Through this group, Johnson Controls serves the education, healthcare, office, government, retail, and telecommunication sectors. Customers include Ameritech, GlaxoSmithKline, JC Penney, and Novartis as well as 7,000 US school districts, more than 2,000 hospitals, and tens of thousands of other non-residential and government buildings, according to the company.