AVK (German Federation of Reinforced Plastics) confers 3rd place on new natural fiber product Dual FaserTec * Johnson Controls receives Environment Award 2007

Burscheid (Germany) 6 November (PROTEXT/ots) - Johnson Controls, one of theworld's leading suppliers of automotive interior systems, electronics andbatteries, has taken 3rd place in the AVK Innovation Award 2007. Thecompany received the award in the Environment category for its particularlycomfortable car seat pads made out of natural fibers. Compared toconventional manufacturing methods, it requires fewer process steps andmaterials - making it more economical to produce, too. The use ofcompletely unmixed materials also makes it easier to recycle and reducesthe overall volume of emissions during production.

Johnson Controls not only offers its customers seat pads made out ofconventional PU foam, but also car seat pads made of latex-reinforcednatural materials - and for good reason. FaserTec seat pads made out ofcoconut fibers and latex is particularly comfortable. The highly permeable,moisture-absorbing properties of the material ensures an ideal seatingclimate. Furthermore, the low-profile, yet highly stable material means theseats take up less room inside the vehicle. Not only that - differentrigidity zones can be incorporated within a single seat pad, which not onlyenhances the ergonomic stability of the seat but also increases the degreeof lateral hold - just like sports car seating.

Innovation for more seating comfort

With the aim of engineering a particularly comfortable seating hold, thecompany has now developed the product further.

Dual FaserTec allowsfor a range of different fiber and latex combinations to be used. "Thismeans the side of the seat facing the passenger can be designed as a softand comfortable surface, while the back of the seat is constructed out of amore robust, abrasive-resistant mix," explained Werner Klusmeier, plantmanager at Johnson Controls. This means that the preference of individualautomakers for different degrees of hardness in different seating zones canbe met through the targeted use of two different latexes, each withdifferent material properties.

Reduced material usage and fewer process steps

Production of the new Dual FaserTec pads is more economical thanconventional PU and FaserTec methods, since it reduces the cost of theoverall system. Savings can also be made in the number of process steps andin materials such as foam and adhesive, since there is no further need toadhere soft foam to the seat pad. This also reduces overall emissions.Reliance on one type of material also makes the product easier to recycle.

Automakers are already making use of the climatic, physiological,economical and ecological benefits of such latex-enriched, natural seatpads. Since the middle of this year, Dual FaserTec has also beenincorporated within the luxury segment of a German automaker.

Another award for the company

This is not the first AVK Innovation Award that Johnson Controls hasreceived. Back in 2005, the company earned 1st place in the same categoryfor an innovative recycling process. "Sustainability is a particularconcern of ours, so I am very glad we have managed to come up with a newproduct that goes a little way further towards protecting the environment,"said Werner Klusmeier.

Digital photos are available at http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.

Further information is available from:

Johnson Controls GmbH

Automotive Experience

Industriestr. 20-30

51399 Burscheid, Germany

Astrid Schafmeister

Tel.: +49 2174 65-3189

Fax: +49 2174 65-3219

E-mail: astrid.schafmeister@jci.com

Ina Longwitz

Tel.: +49 2174 65-4343

E-mail: ina.longwitz@jci.com

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity tothe places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies,products and services, we create smart environments that redefine therelationships between people and their surroundings.

Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe andsustainable world through our products and services for more than 200million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings.Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, goodcorporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the productsand services we provide to customers. For additional information, pleasevisit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.

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