Twelve suppliers win Automotive News PACE Awards

Twelve automotive suppliers won 2007 Automotive News PACE Awards for innovation during a black-tie ceremony on April 16 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. Automotive manufacturers were also honored during the program with three Automotive News PACE Innovative OEM Collaborator Awards.

The 13th annual awards program for innovation in the automotive supply chain was open to suppliers that contribute products, processes, capital equipment or services directly to the manufacture of cars or trucks worldwide. The prestigious PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contribution to Excellence) Award is presented by Automotive News, Microsoft, SAP and Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC Inc.). Additional sponsors are the Original Equipment Suppliers Association and WCSX.

Selected from among 23 finalists, the 2007 PACE Award winners – by category – are:

Product: Innovations in new products or components or systems that have significant market impact and act as "game changers" in the automotive industry:

• Alcoa Wheel Products, Cleveland – Dura-Bright Wheels with XBR Technology
• Autoliv ASP Inc., Ogden, Utah – Safety Vent Airbag
• Federal-Mogul Corporation, Southfield, Mich. – High-Temperature Alloy (HTA) Exhaust Gaskets
• Halla Climate Control Corporation, Daejeon, Korea – Wave Blade Fan & Saw Tooth Shroud
• Valeo Raytheon Systems Inc., Auburn Hills, Mich. – Multi-Beam Radar (MBR) Blind-Zone Radar Sensor

Product-Europe: As above, but for innovations that are developed and first commercialized in Europe:

• BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems GmbH, Kirchheimbolanden, Germany – The BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems Gasoline Turbocharger with Variable Turbine Geometry
• Federal-Mogul Corporation, Burscheid Germany and Southfield, Mich. – Goetze Diamond Coating

Manufacturing Process & Capital Equipment: Innovations involving game-changing processes (manufacturing or business) or innovative capital equipment that support the automotive supply chain or manufacturing processes:

• Behr GmbH & Company KG, Stuttgart, Germany – BehrOxal
• DuPont Automotive Systems, Troy, Mich. – DuPont EcoConcept
• Hirotec America, Auburn Hills, Mich. – E3 Hemming Press

Information Technology & Services: Innovations in the design and implementation of information systems solutions that enable companies to improve operational performance or for services and delivery of services:

• RTT USA Inc., Troy, Mich. – RTT DeltaGen
• Tenneco Inc., Lake Forest, Ill. – Diesel Aftertreatment Predictive Development Process

"Every winner that emerges from the rigorous Automotive News PACE Award review process is truly exceptional in the industry," said Keith Crain, Automotive News publisher and editor in chief. "These 12 companies are clearly playing to win – today and in the challenging global market ahead."

Automotive manufacturers receiving Automotive News PACE Innovative OEM Collaborator Awards during last evening's ceremonies were:

• Porsche AG for its collaboration on The High Energy ITM3e AWD System with BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems;
• Porsche AG for its collaboration on The BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems Gasoline Turbocharger with Variable Turbine Geometry with BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems; and
• Volkswagen AG for its collaboration on the DuPont EcoConcept paint process with DuPont Automotive Systems.

Innovative OEM Collaborator Award winners were selected by Automotive News PACE Award judges from the pool of 2007 finalists. PACE Award winners were chosen following a thorough review of written submissions from each supplier and site visits by a panel of judges, drawn from among industry, academic and business leaders.

Profiles of each PACE Award winner's product, process and/or service is available by visiting Automotive News at www.automotivenews.com/pace.