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11North America
September/October
Zoom
Chairman shares vision at annual conference
On August 23, more than 300 managers representing sites in Canada, Mexico and the United States, gathered at the 2011 North America Managers’ Conference to
hear Faurecia Chairman and CEO Yann Delabrière update them on performance in 2010 and priorities for 2011.
The Chairman detailed the achievements of the region, saying, “in the medium term, our outlook in North America is excellent. We have collectively managed
to transform Faurecia into a key, strong player in the North American market. I would like to congratulate and thank you for the development of our business in the
region, in terms of acquisitions, contracts and momentum.”
Continued on page 4
2
Faurecia presents its
innovations to Mitsubishi
6
‘Where in the World’
contest results
8
FUELS: ‘Driving
Out Hunger’
faurecia infos NA • Sept/Oct 2011
2 Group News
Faurecia presents its
innovations to Mitsubishi
A TechDay by the Faurecia Automotive Seating (FAS) and Faurecia Interior
Systems (FIS) Business Groups, for Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC),
took place in Okazaki, Japan on July 26.
T
he sixth largest Japanese car manufacturer, MMC, sold
1.11 million vehicles in 2010, achieving sales of 1,829 billion
yen ($22.9 billion). After a VIP Tour, the TechDay allowed
Faurecia to show Mitsubishi its latest technological innovations.
FIS presented its airbag solutions for injection-molded instrument
panels, such as the one used in the Ford Fiesta, and foam instrument
panels, such as the one in the Samsung SM5 (marketed in Korea). The
Business Group also presented door panels injected with natural fibers,
as well as lightweight solutions for products from the acoustic range,
such as floor carpets and bulkheads.
FAS displayed a complete set of seats for the Mitsubishi Colt, the
new RC7x, RD7x and Nano mechanisms, a cross-section of the Audi
A8 seat that can be adjusted 22 different ways, as well as the Dragon
and Apollo seat structures.
These products and solutions certainly piqued the interest of the
manufacturer’s Purchasing, Engineering and Design teams. This event,
the first with Mitsubishi since 2005, attracted more than 200 people.
Did you know?
42
8
is the total number of new industrial projects in the pipeline. Under construction
or expanding, these sites support Faurecia’s development on all continents.
in North America
including five in Mexico
4
in South America
including three in Brazil
12
in Europe including
nine in Eastern Europe,
Russia and Turkey
18
in Asia including
12 in China
Worldwide roll-out for QRCI
Last May, Faurecia launched QRCI, its specific problem-solving
methodology. To find out more, Faurecia infos met with John Burke,
Deputy Senior VP Group Quality. Here are a few excerpts.
What is new about
the QRCI standard?
How is QRCI being
rolled out worldwide?
This is a new step for Faurecia because it is
the first time that the company is creating its
own methodology to handle the company’s
issues. This tool has been developed more
extensively and covers new areas: safety,
logistics, programs and cost reduction. The
“is/is not” part has also been reinforced.
We have launched a series of training
programs worldwide to train site and
program managers about this new standard.
The training includes a session lasting one
and a half days covering safety issues, and a
one-day session on program management.
Training in Germany, North America and
France has been completed. It will start in
South America and in India in September. The
worldwide QRCI competition will take place in
the second half of 2011.
3
Site Life
FAE moves into new HQ
Faurecia Automotive Exteriors opened its new
North America headquarters this summer in
Auburn Hills, Mich. The Oakland Technical Center
houses the FAE design and development activities,
as well as the shared services functions of Country
Coordination – including Finance, IT, HR, NPP, Legal
Services and Communications.
FAE plans to introduce customers to the
new facility and the team on October 5. Check
back in the next issue of infos North America for
more information.
FIS sites compete in annual
soccer match
There’s a grudge being held in FIS North America,
between the Fraser, Mich. Plant and the Auburn Hills
Technical Center. For three years now, employees have
been working it out on the soccer field. Each summer,
teams have been formed and competed locally for
bragging rights – all in fun, of course.
In 2009, AHTC won 15-1. In 2010, Fraser won 15-0.
The 2011 match was intended to settle things, at least
for this year. The game was held August 2 at Fraser High
School. AHTC won 3-2.
Rain made the midfield slick and affected the
number of shots on goal, but the goalies each made a
number of dramatic saves that kept the score low.
The Fraser team, in their white shirts, was led by Chris
Newby, Manager of Plant Manufacturing Engineering.
Brian Hawley, Program Manager for the GM 350 (Buick
Regal), led the AHTC team, who wore dark shirts.
AHTC ends summer with
employee car show
The Auburn Hills Technical Center held its annual
employee Dream Cruise on August 26. More than
200 employees enjoyed a DJ playing classic rock
and roll music and a barbecue lunch.
Employees entered their classic and unique
cars, trucks and motorcycles to be judged by fellow
employees in five categories. The winner in each
category received a Visa gift card.
Judging from 14 entries, employees chose the
following winners:
• Best in show: Ray Belf for his 1938 Packard
•B
est motorcycle: Laurent Boullin for his Pitbull
customized Big Dog motorcycle
•M
ost creative: Jake Rush for his 2003 Ford
F-350 FX4
•B
est interior: Josh Messer for his 1965 Ford
Mustang Fastback
•B
est exterior: Tony Iafrate for his 1969 Ford
Mustang Mach 1
New Chief Financial Officer
for North America named
Kevin Lammers has been appointed Chief Financial
Officer for North America. He will be responsible for
all tax and banking relations, and promote the use of
Shared Services accounting platforms. He will work
closely with controllers and the IT organization in the
region, and work to improve Finance processes and
internal controls.
Lammers was previously the Vice President
of Finance for FECT in North America. He is based
at the Oakland Technical Center in Auburn Hills,
Mich. and reports to Frank Imbert, Group Chief
Financial Officer.
Thomas Hanak has been named Vice President
of Finance for FECT in North America, replacing
Lammers. Hanak was previously Chief Financial
Officer for FIS in Mexico. He will be based at the
Columbus, Ind. Technical Center and report to Mark
Stidham, President of FECT in North America.
New option for employees who
don’t use direct deposit
Faurecia introduces the ADP TotalPay Visa Card and
Money Network Check Program. This new tool is
for U.S. employees who don’t take advantage of the
convenience of direct deposit for their paycheck.
This easy-to-use payroll service enables you to
access your funds using a Visa-branded debit card
or Money Network checks, which are provided by the
program. If you choose not to participate in direct
deposit, the TotalPay system will be the new way to
receive your net pay. If you did not enroll in direct
deposit by September 30, you were automatically
enrolled in the TotalPay Card and Check program.
The TotalPay card is a Visa debit card that can
be used at Allpoint ATMs without a fee, to pay bills
online or to make debit purchases in stores, online
or over the phone. You can access your balance
in several ways, including e-mail or text updates.
Money Network checks can be written to you or used
for bill paying. Check re-orders are free.
Your local HR Manager has more information.
faurecia infos NA • Sept/Oct 2011
4 Zoom
Chairman shares vision
at annual conference
Continued from page 1
Delabrière talked about how Faurecia has outpaced production in all
regions, managed to close the gap with competitors in several areas, and
achieved a number of milestones almost a year ahead of schedule.
He cautioned that while the Group has realized its turnaround
milestones, we all must be aware of the challenges of success. “We are
growing very fast. We have to make sure we have the resources and
capability to manage the growth. If we don’t manage our challenges,
we could jeopardize our success.”
Three NA priorities
Delabrière said that we have improved
performance significantly but we still
have a lot to accomplish, especially in
terms of program management. He
explained that he has three priorities for
North America:
• “Our first priority is our
customer. We have to restore and
control customer satisfaction.”
• “We have to deploy our
systems, both in terms of
manufacturing and programs.
If we keep in mind our longerterm vision, it will help fix
short-term issues.”
• “ We must make sure
we deploy adequate
resources. It is
necessary to build the
If we don’t manage our
challenges, we could
jeopardize our success.
right teams to support short- and long-term growth. We can’t just put out
fires. We have to keep in mind the long-term vision.”
Six global strategic ambitions
Delabrière also reviewed the six global priorities set for 2011. These apply
to all Business Groups and activities around the world.
1. Remain focused on our four Business Groups – we have the
potential for growth in all BGs
2. Focus on operational performance – execution is key
3. Focus on global OEMs and global platforms – Faurecia is
among the few companies who can offer complete coverage
of global markets
4. Increase our technological leadership
5. Accelerate our development in Asia – in terms of both
manufacturing in the region and relationships with Asian OEMs
6. Consider consolidation opportunities
State of the NA business reviewed:
current statistics, innovations
In addition to Faurecia Chairman and CEO Yann Delabrière’s discussion
about the priorities for the region, the North America management team
presented progress reports on each of the Business Groups (BGs). They
spoke of challenges, successes, financial statements and the growth
each BG is managing.
After the presentations, a representative from each Division spoke
about upcoming innovations that their BG is offering. Some of the
innovations noted were for current production vehicles, like the adaptive
valve technology on the Dodge Charger SRT-8 and RALF (Reinforced
Airbag Lid in Foam) on the
Ford Focus and Buick Regal.
Other projects debuted at the
Frankfurt Motor Show this fall
or are still in the development
stage (see story on page 5 ).
Thomas Loafman, Director
of Purchasing of Volkswagen
Group of America, was a
guest speaker. He spoke to the
attendees about the tremendous
growth VW is experiencing in
North America and some of the
expectations the OEM has for
its suppliers.
The end of the day included
a Q&A session with Delabrière
and the NAO management team.
5
Plants, programs
recognized in
awards ceremony
Innovations
at work
Composite Backrest
The Composite Backrest is ready to
make a significant difference inside
vehicles that will be launched in the
coming years. In partnership with BASF,
Faurecia has developed an ingenious
seatback that creates an all-new
aesthetic and eliminates conventional
metal frames, heavy foam and trim
covers in favor of materials that produce
a lighter, thinner and cleaner seatback.
Each year at the North America Managers’ Conference, awards are presented for
the best performing plants, program performance and, new this year, program
acquisition. The 2011 winners are:
• Hermosillo, Mexico Plant (FECT) – Best Plant Performance in North America
• Fountain Inn (FIS) – Most Improved Plant Performance
• Fountain Inn (FAS) – Plant Finance
• Chrysler JS Door Trim (FIS) – Program Performance
• GM Alpha Plus (FIS) – Program Acquisition
Plant awards
Francisco Jimenez, Plant Manager of Hermosillo (FECT), accepted the award on
behalf of the employees. The site achieved 0 Fr0t and 0 Fr1t, 3 PPM and more than
61 implemented Improvement Ideas per person. “Hermosillo’s employees are very
proud to receive this award,” said Jimenez. “This award is the result of a great
continuous team effort and our strong belief in FES and lean thinking as the path
toward success. Congratulations to the Hermosillo team for this award, which only
reinforces our commitment to excellence.”
Plant Manager Martin Round was pleased to receive the award on behalf of Fountain
Inn (FIS). “Being named the most improved plant two years in a row makes us even more
determined to continue our success with the goal of receiving the outstanding performance
award next year,” said Round. “We are extremely proud of all of the hours and dedication
our team has put into improving our site’s production in each of the categories.”
Plant Manager of Fountain Inn (FAS) Jeff Haller was presented with the Finance
Award. “While the award is based on the plant performance compared to budget, many
elements factor into this result,” said Haller. “Industrial performance is certainly a
primary factor, but without the help of the commercial team, Engineering and Program
Management, the plant’s overall performance would not have been what it was.”
Thermal Enhancer™
To respond to the needs of diesel trucks, Faurecia has advanced the
ActiveClean® Thermal Enhancer.™ This device is a small combustion
chamber where precisely measured quantities of diesel fuel are injected
and burned in an optimized manner when not enough natural exhaust
heat is available for regeneration and efficient catalytic operations.
ActiveClean® operates at 80- to 90-percent efficiency, requiring much
less extra fuel than conventional diesel heating methods.
Program awards
“It’s great that the JS program was recognized,” said Richard Westness, Program
Manager at the Auburn Hills Technical Center, of the Program Performance award.
“It was a very challenging project, and would not have been possible without the
dedication and hard work of both the program and plant teams.”
Jeff Telder, Vice President of the General Motors Customer Division for FIS said,
after he accepted the Program Acquisition award on behalf of the GM Alpha Plus
team, “based on Faurecia’s excellent performance on the current Cadillac CTS door
panel products, General Motors has awarded Faurecia the next generation door panels
as well. This business, along with last year’s award of the Alpha door panel program,
will give Faurecia 100 percent of the door panel business at GM’s Lansing Grand River
assembly plant, beginning in September 2013 (SOP of the Alpha Plus).”
LOCOP
The ability to readily recycle instrument
panels will be markedly improved with
the introduction of Faurecia’s low-weight
covering premium (LOCOP) instrument
panel skin. LOCOP is a cut-and-sew
solution that offers the soft-touch feel of
polyurethane covering materials. However,
it is much lighter than the traditional
combined polyurethane and spacer fabric
that is fashioned into instrument panel
skins. It is also far more easily recycled
and can be used on door panels, too.
faurecia infos NA • Sept/Oct 2011
6
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plona, Spain
rangunic, Bradford, in Pam
• S econd place: Carlos Ma
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• T hird place: Arnaud Bon
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Thank you to all those wh
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indicates a Top Ten finalist
Top: Patsy Hodge, North Pole,
Alaska; Bottom: Ed Wielgus,
Niagara Falls, New York
Dan Murphy, Knox ville, Tennessee
Top: Jeff Telder, Beaver Creek,
Colorado; Bottom: Brian Enneper,
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Carlos
Marangunic,
Pamplona,
Spa
Top: Paula Behr,
Mt. Rushmore, South
Dakota; Right:
Michael Gergolla,
Cape of Good Hope,
South Africa
Arnaud Bonnet, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
in
7
Industry News
Compact car production on
the rise
Les Dickens, Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina
Top: Scott Krueger, St.
Andrews, Scotland; Right: Lydia
Fregoso, San Marcos, Texas
Automakers are gearing up to make more compact
cars – another bet on a market that has thrived
even as consumers fret about the economy. The
carmakers are expecting sales of compacts to
increase as nervous consumers go for lower sticker
prices and better gas mileage. And other car
companies are trying to steal sales from Honda and
Toyota, whose factories are recovering from parts
shortages due to the March earthquake in Japan.
Automakers sold nearly one million compacts
through the end of July. That’s up 12.8 percent from
a year earlier. General Motors is adding Saturday
shifts in the fourth quarter at an Ohio factory that
makes the compact Cruze. Ford, Toyota and Hyundai
have scheduled overtime at compact car plants.
Source: The Boston Globe
Tennessee leads U.S. in auto
manufacturing
Myron James,
Transylvania, Roma
nia
Top: Jin Zhou, Moscow,
Russia; Right: Mark Kelly,
Yosemite Valley, California
Jeff Tucker, St.
Augustine, Florid
a
According to national economic development
publication, Business Facilities, Tennessee leads
the nation in auto manufacturing strength, and
industry analysts said they aren’t surprised by that
ranking. “We were impressed by it when we saw the
report,” Senior Analyst for Edmunds.com Michelle
Krebs said. “If you think about it, it’s not surprising.
First of all you’ve got the Volkswagen plant, which
is very high-profile globally. That’s a real feather in
Tennessee’s cap.”
Krebs and fellow Edmunds analyst Bill Visnic said
Tennessee’s auto manufacturing strength started with
Nissan, which began production in Smyrna, Tenn. in
1983. In 1997, Nissan started production at another
Tennessee plant in Decherd. Having two major plants
draws in more suppliers to the area and that can help
attract more manufacturers and suppliers.
Source: Nooga.com
J.D. Power: heavy-duty engine
quality has improved from 2010
Brent Hop
son, Cancu
n, Mexico
Top: Peter Freeman, Seattle, Washington;
Left: Obed R. Bravo, Chiapas, Mexico
Heavy-duty truck engine quality has improved from
2010, after technology changes related to emissions
standards revisions caused a spike in engine-related
problems during recent years, according to the
J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Heavy-Duty
Truck Engine and Transmission Study. Satisfaction
is measured based on eight key factors: engine
reliability and dependability; engine warranty;
acceleration when fully loaded; electronic control
module; accessibility to components for service or
maintenance; vibration at idle; maintaining speeds
on grades; and average fuel economy.
The study finds that, among owners who
report average fuel consumption of 5.0 to 5.9 mpg,
satisfaction with fuel economy averages 5.9 on
a 10-point scale. In addition, 58 percent of these
owners said they “definitely will” or “probably will”
specify the same engine brand in their next heavyduty truck. Among owners who report an average
fuel consumption of 6 mpg or more, satisfaction with
fuel economy increases to 7.1 and intended engine
loyalty increases to 66 percent.
Source: Heavy-Duty Trucking Magazine
faurecia infos NA • Sept/Oct 2011
8
Spotlight
FUELS asks employees
to help ‘Drive Out Hunger’
in our communities
A
s September began, Faurecia sites in Canada, Mexico and the
United States became busy with activities for the 2011 FUELS
(Faurecia Unites with Employees for Local Service) Community
Food Drive campaign.
Each Friday during the month, employees are donating nonperishable
food items like canned and boxed goods, which will be given to a local
food bank or charity. In addition, the sites are planning a volunteer day
with their community service partner. Employees are giving of their
personal time in service to their local communities. Money donations are
being accepted as well.
Each facility has a goal to average the equivalent of 10 pounds (4.5 kg)
of food per person in Canada and the U.S. The goal for North America is
121,012 pounds.
Sites that reach their goals will earn a $500 cash donation for their
food bank from the company. The sites that collect the most per person –
one in Canada / U.S. and one in Mexico – will win a $5,000 donation.
“It was amazing to witness our employees engage in this project
last year and step up to the challenge,” said Mike Heneka, President of
Faurecia North America. “It was even more rewarding to see how many
went above and beyond the challenge by volunteering at our partner
food banks to make a difference in their communities. I am confident
that we will exceed our goals again this year and see record numbers of
employees participate in the FUELS program.”
As of September 20, approximately 59,000 pounds (28,600 kg) have
been collected.
Check back in the next issue of infos North America to see the results
of the campaign to “Drive Out Hunger” in our local communities.
Photos from the top:
FUELS volunteers from
Hermosillo, Mexico;
employees from the
Auburn Hills Tech Center
donate time at their local
food bank; the team of
employees helping with
food collection at the
Madison, Miss. Plant.
Below: Willie Humes then
(1971) and now (2011).
CTC employee named to Idaho
State Sports Hall of Fame
On September 15, a special party was held
at the Columbus, Ind. Tech Center (FECT) for
Willie Humes. He has been an assembler there
for more than 30 years. It was a pre-celebration for
the weekend of September 16, when Humes was
inducted into the Idaho State University Sports Hall
of Fame.
Long before he worked at CTC, Humes left his
mark on the basketball court at ISU (1969-1971).
He is the University’s all-time career scoring
average leader, averaging 31.5 points per game. He ranks No. 10 all-time
in NCAA career scoring average. He is No. 6 all-time in total points scored
by the ISU Bengals, and has the top five all-time single game scoring
marks, including three games of 51 points or more. For his career at ISU,
Humes scored 1,510 points. For more than 13 years, Humes has coached
high school girls basketball in the Columbus area. This past June he was
named the head coach for the Madison Consolidated High School girls
basketball team.
Faurecia infos North America is a bimonthly newsletter published for Faurecia employees in the region. It provides and extends knowledge
about the company, its people and activities. It delivers information about Faurecia’s processes, goals, performance and culture.
September/October 2011. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper and uses soy-based, environmentally friendly ink.
For questions, comments or article suggestions, please write to infosNA@faurecia.com.
Editor-in-chief: Stacie Tong, Managing Editor: Christina Wootton, Contributor: Christian Furmanski