Johnson Controls awarded ÖkoGlobe 2012 for ComfortThin seat / Top-class jury honors innovative seating technology (BILD)

Burscheid (ots) -

- Cross-reference: Picture is available at:
http://www.presseportal.de/galerie.htx?type=obs -

Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive seating and
seating components, was awarded the ÖkoGlobe in the category
"Resources, Materials and Process Optimization? for its innovative
ComfortThin seat at the awards ceremony yesterday in Cologne,
Germany. The jury chose this year's winners of the international
environmental award for the mobility industry from more than 110
applications - a greater number than ever before. "ComfortThin
convinced the jury, since Johnson Controls successfully transferred
lightweight and recyclable materials from other industries to an
automotive product. Also, this seat creates additional weight saving
potential through shorter bodywork, thus reducing fuel consumption,"
said Professor Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, automotive expert and
spokesperson for the ÖkoGlobe jury.

Performance artist HA Schult initiated the prize in 2007. Besides
himself and Dudenhöffer from the University of Duisburg-Essen, the
top-class jury is made up of Professor Jürgen Brauckmann, member of
the Board of TÜV Rheinland, Engelbert Faßbender, member of the Board
of DEVK Versicherungen, energy expert Professor Claudia Kemfert from
the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) and Matthias
Machnig, minister of economy, labor and technology for the state of
Thuringia.

"We are very proud to have won the renowned ÖkoGlobe award for our
ComfortThin seat. We are breaking new ground in seat design with this
environmentally friendly technology," said Beda Bolzenius, president
of Johnson Controls Automotive Seating. "Sustainable mobility is one
of Johnson Controls' most important strategic priorities. We are
continuously working on environmentally friendly innovations."

As part of a design partnership with British luxury mattress
manufacturer Harrison Spinks, Johnson Controls has developed an
environmentally friendly automotive seat with a thin profile, which
at the same time offers passengers a high level of comfort.

Conventional urethane foam pads are replaced by pocketed coil
springs from the bedding industry. This alternative is up to 100
percent recyclable and facilitates a weight reduction of between
five and 20 percent.

Thanks to its thin profile, the ComfortThin seat creates space for
passengers, particularly in smaller vehicles - in fact, rear-seat
passengers can see 35 millimeters (approximately 1.4 inches) of
additional leg and knee room.

As an alternative option, a vehicle equipped with ComfortThin
seats can be made up to 35 millimeters (approximately 1.4 inches)
shorter and leave the interior space unchanged. This means further
weight savings of 4.5 kilograms (approximately 10 pounds) in the body
of a lower-medium segment vehicle. The comfort remains the same, but
the vehicles are lighter and more compact and can be driven by more
efficient engines with smaller capacity. In this way, ComfortThin
technology helps to lower fuel consumption and sustainably reduce CO2
emissions.

The new technology will be available for 2015 models. Testing of
the seat in modified production cars has been positive and has piqued
the interest of automakers.

Digital images are available online from
www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk/press.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial
leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 162,000
employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize
energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid
automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric
vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to
sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of
the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and
by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to
shareholders and making our customers successful.

About Johnson Controls Automotive Experience

Johnson Controls is a global leader in automotive seating,
overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior
electronics. We support all major automakers in the differentiation
of their vehicles through our products, technologies and advanced
manufacturing capabilities. With 240 locations worldwide, we are
where our customers need us to be. Consumers have enjoyed the comfort
and style of our products, from single components to complete
interiors. With our global capability we supply approximately 50
million cars per year.

For more information, please contact:
Johnson Controls GmbH
Automotive Experience
Industriestraße 20-30
51399 Burscheid Germany
Oliver Herkert
Tel.: +49 2174 65-4348
Fax: +49 2174 65-3219
E-Mail: oliver.herkert@jci.com