May 29, 2007 -- Johnson Controls has joined with Proseat (joint venture between Recticel and Woodbridge) to set up a new manufacturing joint venture for the production of molded foam seating cushions in Slovakia and Poland.
The two plants are located in Lucenec, Slovakia and Zory, Poland. Johnson Controls will hold a majority 65% stake in the joint venture with Proseat holding the remaining 35%. Each company will carry out its own production programs in both plants to supply assembly plants in Eastern Europe. The cooperation enables both companies to meet the rising demand in Eastern Europe by producing close to the customer and cost-efficiently.
In Slovakia, the joint venture will use the currently existing manufacturing capacity at the Johnson Controls plant in Lucenec. The new plant in Poland will be operational in November 2007 and will employ around 130 people.
Proseat will now have 13 production sites in nine countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom. Johnson Controls has been continually expanding its presence in the new Eastern Europe since the early 1990s and now has over 23 locations in Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Russia and Turkey.
Proseat is the joint venture between the Belgian company Recticel, one of the leading producers of polyurethanes with some hundred production units in 26 countries, and the Canadian company Woodbridge, which claims to be the worldwide market leader in automotive polyurethanes. With approximately 2,000 employees in 11 locations in 8 countries, Proseat is one of the main producers of polyurethane moulded foam for automotive seating in Europe. In addition to moulded foam Proseat also supplies finished parts, like headrests, armrests and side bolsters mainly based on polyurethanes.
Source: Just Auto
Source: Factiva
