Johnson Controls with Fraunhofer Research Institution for Polymeric Materials and Composites PYCO Announce Cooperation Agreement

BURSCHEID, Germany, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Joint research and development for lightweight and sustainable materials in the automotive industry

Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive seating, overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics, today announced a long-term cooperation agreement with the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Polymeric Materials and Composites PYCO. PYCO is a developer of highly cross-linked polymers for all applications. Both organizations will collaborate on developing sustainable solutions for the automotive industry.

Johnson Controls and Fraunhofer PYCO's research and development initiatives will focus on developing polymer systems that are recyclable, repairable, and have excellent mechanical properties. An area of collaboration includes fiber-reinforced synthetics for the automotive industry. Identifying energy efficient production processes are another part of the research.

"We are pleased to be collaborating with Fraunhofer PYCO," said Andreas Eppinger, group vice president technology management for Johnson Controls Automotive Experience. "Together, we want to develop new lightweight materials and bring them to market sooner."

"The cooperation with Johnson Controls allows us to collaborate on a long-term basis with a strong partner in the area of lightweight materials for the automotive industry," said Monika Bauer, head of PYCO.

Within the framework of the agreement, Johnson Controls and the Fraunhofer Institution will expand the PYCO-Technikum science center in Wildau, Germany, and will implement innovative processing technologies.

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 makers 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.

About Fraunhofer PYCO

The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Polymeric Materials and Composites PYCO develops highly cross-linked polymers (reactive resins/duromers) and fiber-reinforced composites for applications in all sectors, particularly transport technology.

Adhesives, coatings, varnishes, binders, inmolds/gelcoats, casting resins, prepregs, resin transfer molding (RTM), pultrusion resins and foams are the principal forms of reactive resin used in lightweight vehicle construction. They have special properties, such as high flame retardancy, high fracture toughness (brittleness), minimum volume shrinkage, fast and latent curing and repair and recycling ability.

Uniquely for a research institution in Germany, the entire development chain from monomers to the finished part is covered. Depending on the user's specific development stage, at the end of development reactive resin formulations, fiber-reinforced materials, sandwich structures or other requested demonstrator parts are the result.

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