World excellence awards go to 52 Ford suppliers

By Tom Stundza -- Purchasing, 11/17/2005

Fifty-two global suppliers received Ford World Excellence Awards at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., for exemplary performance during 2004. Keynote speaker Jim Padilla, Ford president and chief operating officer, told suppliers they are paramount to Ford's success in an extremely competitive global marketplace.

The theme for the event was sustainability, which was the topic of the supplier meeting preceding the awards ceremony. Sustainability, as Ford defines it, is a business model that creates value consistent with the long-term preservation and enhancement of environmental, social and financial capital. "Our best suppliers are an impressive group, providing Ford with a wide range of outstanding products—from stampings to lighting to aluminum wheels," said Tony Brown, senior vice president for global purchasing at the event. "Your excellence and commitment has not gone unnoticed."

Padilla told the suppliers from 21 countries that they and the automaker share a vision and strive for many of the same goals. "We have a vision for Ford and its suppliers and for the role of sustainability in that vision. It boils down to great products, strong business and a better world," Padilla says, noting that the World Excellence Awards provide annual recognition based on quality, cost and delivery performance.

There are three types of awards— Gold, Silver and Recognition of Achievement. The Gold and Silver awards are given to suppliers that excel in quality, cost and delivery. Seventeen suppliers won gold awards and 26 suppliers won the silver award. Recognition of Achievement awards go to suppliers who impact customer satisfaction by providing significant contributions in key areas: social responsibility, consumer-driven Six Sigma, diversity and community service, new consumer-focused technology and high mileage improvement. Nine suppliers received these awards.

Social responsibility recipients show leadership in human rights and working conditions as well as health and safety. Consumer-driven Six Sigma winners are leaders whose projects have a positive impact on Ford's customer satisfaction. Consumer-focused technology recipients have successfully launched Ford-first technologies, and High-mileage improvement goes to suppliers that successfully complete and implement a high-mileage project using Ford's eight-step process.

The gold award winners for 2005 quality, cost and delivery are: ConocoPhillips (oil and lubricants), Cosma Body and Chassis Systems (stampings), Gesellschaft fur Antriebstechnik of Germany (flywheel ring gear), Hitachi Automotive Products-USA (sensors), Hitachi Metals of Japan (exhaust manifolds), JAC Products (roof rails), Leon Plastics (interior plastic trim and grab handles), Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems of France (weatherstrips), Mike Brooks (truckload carrier), N.E. Chemcat of Japan (catalysts), Pintura Estampado y Montaje of Mexico (stampings), Pirelli Pneus of Brazil (tires), TATA Johnson Controls Automotive of India (seats), Valeo Engine Cooling (engine cooling systems), VB Autobaterias of Estonia (batteries), Ying Ming Industry of Taiwan (fasteners) and Yumex of Japan (exhaust systems).