The SP Executive Committee has set meeting dates for the three remaining quarterly meetings in 2010.  Based on feedback received, SP has decided to extend its quarterly meetings to two days. The first day will be provided for Work Groups to meet and the second day will be the regularly scheduled Membership Meeting. In addition, we have added a calendar page to the SP website which will be updated regularly with information on upcoming SP meetings.

SP's quarterly meeting dates for 2010 are:

Please contact Kellen Mahoney (kmahoney@navista.net) if your company would be interested in hosting or co-hosting an SP meeting.

Chemical Issues Work Group: This Work Group led by Pat Beattie, Arcalis Scientific, provides a forum for discussing emerging chemical issues of potential impact to automotive manufacturers and the supply chain. The Work Group held a conference call on March 23 to move forward with Phase 3 of its Materials Assessment Strategy (MAS) Project which is focused on "environmental exposures from friction materials and wear debris". 

Energy Work Group: This Work Group led by Greg Rose, Chrysler and Rahul Naik, ARCADIS, continues to focus on addressing ways to help SP member companies reduce their energy use and their environmental footprint. The Work Group is now planning a workshop on government programs and funding opportunities for energy projects in mid-late May in the Detroit area.  Additional details will be distributed to members via email shortly.

Materials Efficiency Work Group: This Work Group led by John Bradburn, GM and Susanne Fredericks, Goodwill, continues to work to develop and deploy environmental technologies and programs in order to reduce environmental impacts, gain financial value, as well as promote environmental sustainability. During the January 12 SP Meeting, John Bradburn and Carrie Brown, GM, provided an update on GM's Oil Management and Purge Recycling Programs. In February, the Work Group conducted a survey of the SP membership to receive input on SP member companies recycling programs and potential collaboration opportunities.

Technology and Networking Work Group: This Work Group is providing a forum for small- and medium-sized SP member companies to determine the most strategic and effective way to communicate with OEMs and Tier I suppliers.  The Work Group met following the January 13 SP Meeting and it was agreed that the Work Group will pursue the following objectives in 2010:

General Motors recognized 76 companies representing 16 countries with its Supplier of the Year award during the annual ceremony this month at the GM Design Dome. SP members Chemico Mays, Denso, Federal Mogul, Johnson Controls and Lear were each recognized as General Motors Supplier of the Year in 2009. More Information.
 
 
ARCADIS announced that for the second consecutive year, it has won the Environmental Business Journal's Gold Medal award in the Mergers & Acquisitions category, for its merger with water and environmental firm Malcolm Pirnie, White Plains, NY. The Environmental Business Journal (EBJ), the leading business newsletter for the environmental industry, annually bestows its Business Achievement Awards on companies exemplifying strong business performance. More Information.

In addition, ARCADIS and UN-HABITAT, the United Nations agency for human settlements, launched a three-year collaboration aimed at a common goal: to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. By becoming a main partner of UN-HABITAT, ARCADIS will commit its staff members, expertise and skills to help bring the UN-HABITAT mission forward. More Information.
 
Chrysler Group LLC announced that the company's 2009 Environmental Leadership Award (ELA) program has led to reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) output of approximately 370,000 tons. Chrysler Group's reduction in CO2 output is approximately equal to the annual CO2 output of four large manufacturing plants or 71,000 automobiles operating on the road. The projects submitted not only resulted in reduced CO2 emissions, but also a savings of more than $50 million annually for the company. More Information. 

In addition, Chrysler Group LLC's wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), has reached a milestone in the Low-speed Vehicle (LSV) industry by selling more than 40,000 GEM battery-electric vehicles. The GEM vehicle line is 100 percent electric and emits zero tailpipe emissions. GEM vehicles have been driven almost 500 million emission-free miles, saving more than 19.5 million gallons of gasoline. This translates into a CO2 reduction equivalent to planting nearly a half-million trees. More Information.
 
Denso Corp. and Johnson Controls were listed as Sustainability Leaders in the Auto Parts & Tires Sector in SAM's 2010 Sustainability Yearbook. Johnson Controls was ranked as SAM Gold Class and Denso Corp was ranked as SAM Silver Class. More Information.
 
Federal-Mogul Corporation has developed an innovative new seal design, called MicroTorq™, that reduces friction by up to 70 percent versus conventional lip-type seals. The new seal can provide an improvement in vehicle fuel economy of up to 0.49 percent and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 1-2 g/km compared to traditional seal designs.  The seals are also easier to install, more accommodating of shaft misalignment or eccentricity, and require less package space.  More Information.
 
Ford Motor Company is expanding the range of its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) research program as one of its regional utility partners, Progress Energy, expands its role by adding a Ford Escape PHEV to its Florida operations. Progress Energy is one of a dozen North American energy companies working with Ford to advance the commercialization of electric vehicles under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy. More Information. 

In addition, Ford Motor Company has launched a voluntary sustainability initiative for Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers to reduce their carbon footprint and improve the energy-efficiency of their dealerships.  Ford has partnered with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), an organization recognized as a leader in providing energy-efficiency solutions to businesses, communities and organizations around the world. More Information.
 
General Motors will invest approximately $246 million in electric motor and electric drive manufacturing including construction of a high volume electric drive production  facility at the Baltimore Transmission plant that will begin to manufacture in 2013 electric motors for GM's Two-mode Hybrid system.  The plant will be the first electric motor manufacturing facility in the U.S. operated by a major automaker. More Information. 

In addition, General Motors will invest more than $494 million and create nearly 550 jobs in three U.S. plants to produce the next generation fuel efficient Ecotec engine.  The new engines will have additional capabilities to improve fuel efficiency and improve performance through advanced design and by adding technology. More Information.
 
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced that Goodwill Industries International will receive a $7.3 million grant as part of "Pathways Out of Poverty," a funding opportunity authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The grant will provide funds to create green job training programs as a strategy to move individuals out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency. More Information. 

In addition, Goodwill Industries International recently received a $100,000 Green Capacity Grant Award from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. Authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Green Capacity Grant Awards fund training programs that ensure targeted groups are prepared to meet the needs of expanding green industries. More Information.
 
Johnson Controls is being included in two new Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes (Maplecroft CIIs) that identify top performers in climate-related innovation and carbon management. The Maplecroft CIIs launched in January 2010 on the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL service. Johnson Controls ranked fifth on the Maplecroft CII Benchmark, which includes 318 of the largest U.S. companies engaged in public climate-related programs. The company also ranked fifth on the Maplecroft CII Leaders, which includes the 100 top-performing companies from the Maplecroft CII Benchmark. More Information. 

In addition, Johnson Controls announced it has been selected by Walmart to be the sole source provider of its Automotive, Marine, Powersport and Lawn and Garden battery requirements for its stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company received Walmart's Supplier of the Year for Automotive this past year. More Information.
 
TestAmerica's Pittsburgh, PA laboratory is now the ninth laboratory in the network to receive DoD ELAP accreditation under the Department of Defense Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP).  TestAmerica is the first laboratory network to be DoD ELAP accredited and includes locations in Savannah, GA, Arvada, CO (Denver), West Sacramento, CA, University Park, IL (Chicago), Earth City, MO (St. Louis), Tacoma, WA (Seattle), Knoxville, TN and North Canton, OH. More Information.