DENSO Corporation has developed a lithium-ion battery pack that further increases the fuel efficiency of vehicles with stop/start systems. DENSO's new battery pack allows the stop/start system to use more regenerative power than current conventional systems that use a single lead-acid battery. DENSO's battery pack consists of a battery management unit and power supply control switch, as well as battery cells that are provided by a third-party source.  More Information.

Sarah Sajedi, CTO and Director of Research, ERA Environmental Management Solutions, has been named a finalist for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award for the TPH Sustainability Award. The TPH sustainability award is given to women entrepreneurs that have made a significant contribution to Canadian business & environmental sustainability. More Information.

The End of Life Vehicle Solutions (ELVS) organization and its partner, EQ - The Environmental Quality Company, recently reached a milestone collecting four and a half million mercury-containing automotive switches as part of the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP). This amounts to over five tons of mercury that has been recycled rather than emitted into the environment. ELVS was created by the automotive industry to promote environmental efforts, outreach programs and the proper management of mercury and other substances of concern. More Information.

Cellulose joins the growing list of sustainable materials originating from unlikely sources that could soon be used in Ford vehicle components and help further reduce the automaker's reliance on traditional content such as fiberglass and petroleum. The Ford biomaterials research team has been working with forest products leader Weyerhaeuser to investigate the use of a plastic composite material utilizing cellulose fibers from trees in place of fiberglass or mineral reinforcements. More Information.

Ford Motor Company's Michigan Assembly Plant has been named Assembly Plant of the Year by ASSEMBLY Magazine. ASSEMBLY Magazine cites MAP's flexible, green manufacturing and transformation from producing large SUVs to fuel-efficient small cars. It is the first time an automaker, as well as a plant in Michigan, has earned the honor. More Information.

General Motors continues to lead all Michigan organizations in Neighborhood Environmental Partner awards, receiving six more acknowledgements of superior community environmental projects and partnerships from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. More Information.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center has named General Motors a finalist in its 2012 Corporate Citizenship Awards for the positive impact its landfill-free program has on people, the community, environment and society. A jury of past award winners evaluated the entries. More Information.

POPULAR MECHANICS named The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company as a 2012 Breakthrough Award winner for their Air Maintenance Technology (AMT). Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology will help ensure the optimum tire pressure is maintained and as a result could mean substantial savings at the fuel pump. According to government and industry research, underinflated tires result in between a 2.5 percent and 3.3 percent decrease in fuel economy. More Information.

On June 14, 2012, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed into law Senate Bill 1090 which enacted significant changes to the ground water-to-surface water interface (GSI) exposure pathway at Michigan's environmental cleanup sites. This bill was the result of work performed by a stakeholder team comprised of representatives from industry, counsel, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, and the consulting community, including SP member Derek Kaiding, a Senior Project Manager/Vice President at Haley & Aldrich's Ann Arbor office. More Information.

Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc's. (HATCI) recent investment in a new research facility at its Superior Township, Mich. location was nominated as a 2012 Deal of the Year under the research category by the AnnArbor.com's Business Review. More Information.

Hyundai Motor Co. is leasing 15 zero-emissions hydrogen-powered ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles to the Municipality of Copenhagen, supporting the Danish capital in its efforts to become carbon-free by 2025. More Information.

The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) recognized Johnson Controls as a 2012 "Corporation of the Year" for its achievements in developing and working with diverse supplier companies. Johnson Controls was honored for its excellence and commitment to minority business enterprises, and its significant contributions to partnerships with minority businesses in all procurement processes. More Information.

On June 1st, MPS Group moved its corporate office from Detroit to Farmington Hills (38755 Hills Tech Drive). The updated office provides us with plenty - a streamlined, efficient workspace to cultivate our integrated culture and additional space for future growth to name a few. It also improves accessibility to our customers with its strategically centralized metro Detroit location. MPS Group's Detroit-based clients should know that we will continue to maintain a presence within the city with an office located at 3400 East Lafayette Street. We welcome SP members to stop by our new HQ for a visit. More Information.

Over the past seven years, Nissan Americas has provided $8 million to Habitat for Humanity International in support of its efforts to build affordable, sustainable homes in partnership with families in need of decent housing. Nissan Americas announced a $1.5 million donation to expand its longstanding partnership with Habitat for Humanity in the Americas. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., based in Yokohama, Japan, also announced a new global partnership that will invest $1 million in Habitat building projects in India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. More Information.

In a ceremony at the Governor's residence in Indianapolis, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA) was honored with the 2012 Governor's Service Award for Corporate Service. The Governor's Service Awards are the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives' most prestigious awards for volunteer service. SIA was recognized for its long history of charitable giving, community service and corporate volunteer initiatives. More Information.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA) announced their nomination for the Sustainia Award, an
international award that recognizes sustainable solutions around the world for their ability to drive positive
change and elevate sustainable societies. SIA was nominated for the Sustainia Award for its zero landfill manufacturing practices. More Information.

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