The existing environmental management system of AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. was brought in line with the requirements of the EU directive so that the company could take part in the environmental management and audit scheme, and the measures taken recorded in an environmental manual. These led to the drafting of an environmental programme and environmental statement. In receiving validation, the company undertakes to submit itself to renewed examination by an independent environmental inspector after three years.

AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft., a fully-owned subsidiary of AUDI AG, was founded in 1993 with a share capital of DM 2 million. The company, with its headquarters in Györ, is the principal source of engines within the Audi Group. AUDI HUNGARIA supplies four, six and eight-cylinder spark-ignition and diesel engines for Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda cars. 1998 saw the dawning of a new era in the company's history along with the production start of the Audi TT Coupé, the first premium-class car to be assembled in Hungary. The Audi TT Roadster went into series production in the second quarter of 1999. In 1998 the company manufactured almost one million high-tech power units and over 13,000 cars; it recorded sales of DM 3.7 billion, earning it the status of the second-largest company in Hungary. In 1999, the company is set to build over one million engines and more than 50,000 cars (Audi TT Coupé and Roadster). With total investment expenditure in excess of DM 1.2 billion, Audi is one of the largest investors in Hungary. AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. currently employs a workforce of 4,100.

Ford is the first U.S. automaker to require certification by suppliers and is one of only a few automakers in the world to require certification of its suppliers. The requirement follows the announcement in December that Ford is the first and only automotive company to certify its plants around the world under ISO 14001: 140 manufacturing facilities in 26 countries, which includes 43 European production facilities - including Jaguar, Aston Martin and Visteon.

Specifically, Ford is requiring suppliers to certify at least one manufacturing site to ISO 14001 by the end of 2001 and all manufacturing sites shipping products to Ford by July 1, 2003. "A quarter of our top 150 suppliers already meet the rigorous standards required and have gained ISO 14001 certification. Our requirements are therefore consistent with an existing trend in the market, reinforcing European suppliers’ commitment to environ-mental protection," said Hans-Peter Kunze, Vice President Purchasing of Europe. "We now want to encourage all other suppliers to strive for this certification to strengthen Ford’s contribution to environmental stewardship."

To help suppliers meet these goals, Ford of Europe is offering ISO 14001 Awareness Training in the upcoming month. In addition, Ford is exploring tools that it can make available to suppliers to let them benefit from Ford's experience in achieving ISO 14001 certification at its plants. In order to develop a more effective and practical environmental policy for suppliers, Ford first polled its top suppliers in Europe earlier this year. Several suppliers indicated that some of their manufacturing facilities were already registered to ISO 14001. The majority of the suppliers said they planned to register their plants to ISO 14001 in the next few years.

Borg-Warner Automotive will combine its existing cooling systems business with that acquired from Eaton to form Borg-Warner Automotive Cooling Systems. John McGill, formerly head of the Eaton division, has been named president and general manager of the new operating group reporting to John Fiedler. Bruce Dufour of Borg-Warner Automotive, has been named senior vice president, sales and marketing.

The Eaton Fluid Power Division, with 1998 sales of approximately $190 million, designs and produces a variety of viscous fan drive cooling systems primarily for passenger vehicles such as light trucks, sport-utility vehicles and vans. Headquartered in Marshall, Michigan, it employs 1,050 people. The unit has operations in North America and Europe, and an expanding presence in South America and Asia. Major customers include Ford, General Motors/Isuzu and DaimlerChrysler.