Cooper-Standard, Henniges named GM Suppliers of the Year

NORTHVILLE, Mich.—What does excellence really mean if it isn't consistent?

Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. knows a thing or two about excellence and consistency, evident by being named one of one of General Motors' Suppliers of the Year for the fifth straight year.

"It's a great honor to again be recognized by General Motors for our innovation, delivery and quality achievements," Patrick Clark, Cooper-Standard's senior vice president and chief manufacturing and commercial officer, said in a statement. "The Cooper-Standard team continues to deliver industry-leading solutions and outstanding customer service to address customers' current and future needs. This recognition is a testament to all our employees who worked tirelessly to fulfill our mission to Be the First Choice of the Stakeholders We Serve."

The company, which ranked 13th in Rubber News' ranking North American non-tire rubber product makers, was honored during the auto maker's 30th annual Supplier of the Year awards ceremony in Phoenix.

Henniges Automotive Inc. not only meets standards for excellence in the automotive sphere, it helps to set the bar, President and CEO Larry Williams told Rubber News. The Supplier of the Year honor, he said, affirms Henniges' reputation of excellence and innovation.

"This is really exciting news for our company," Williams said, noting this marks the second time Henniges has received the honor.

"At Henniges, we are driven by customer satisfaction and customer success; receiving this award from GM validates we're delivering just that," Williams said. "We truly take great pride in partnering with OEMs to design our quality and highly engineered automotive sealing solutions to meet their individual requirements, and look forward to further expanding our partnership with GM in the future."

Henniges, Williams said, holds a significant share of the auto sealing market in North America, and is aiming to grow its global presence, particularly in China.

The company is ranked 24th on Rubber News' list of North American rubber sales leaders, and 27th worldwide.

In all, 134 GM suppliers earned the distinction of Supplier of Year. And this year, that honor means something even more according to Shilpan Amin, GM vice president of global purchasing and supply chain.

"This year's Supplier of the Year event was special not only because it's the 30th anniversary of the program, but because it provided us with the opportunity to recognize our suppliers for persevering through one of the most challenging years the industry has ever faced," Amin said. "These top suppliers showed resilience and reinforced their commitment to pursuing sustainability and innovation. Through our strong relationships and collaboration, GM and our suppliers are poised to build a brighter future for generations to come."

Cooper-Standard wasn't the only rubber industry company to earn the GM distinction of Supplier of the Year. The 134 Supplier of the Year winners included:

• Adient P.L.C.
• Bridgestone
• ExxonMobil Fuels and Lubricants
• Goodyear
• Hankook & Co. ES America Corp.
• Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd.
• Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
• Lear Corp.
• Magna International Inc.
• Maxxis Tire International-USA
• Michelin
• Tenneco Powertrain