Invest in France Honors Suppliers

The 9th Annual Invest in France Automotive Awards Reception will honor Johnson Controls Inc., Cignet LLC and AxleTech International March 9 in Detroit.

The agency wants to recognize North American auto companies that have invested significantly in new or expanded facilities in France.

Keith Wandell, president of JCI's automotive group, will accept the award for the supplier, which is being honored for strengthening its Pontoise R&D center. North of Paris, the center has become the JCI competence hub for automotive electronics worldwide. JCI also recently invested $5 million at its St. Florine plant in central France.

Cignet CEO Patrick Greene will accept honors for the company's successful acquisition of a Siemens VDO assembly plant in Lorraine, France.

AxleTech is honored for the expansion of its Saint Etienne, France, facility. It invested more than $5 million, which translated into the addition of 90 employees. CEO Mary Petrovich is scheduled to accept on behalf of the supplier.

Ward's AutoWorld is sponsoring the Invest in France awards ceremony, which is being held in conjunction with the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit.