Applications Open for 2009 Automotive News PACE Award, Recognizing Suppliers for...

Applications Open for 2009 Automotive News PACE Award, Recognizing Suppliers
for Game-Changing Innovations

DETROIT, July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Automotive suppliers seeking a
competitive edge can demonstrate industry excellence with a 2009 Automotive
News PACE Award. Applications for the 15th annual program, recognizing
innovation, technological advancement and business performance, are being
accepted through Sept. 12, 2008.
Open to suppliers that contribute products, processes, materials or
services directly to the manufacture and sale of cars or trucks, the
prestigious PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contribution to Excellence)
Award is jointly presented by Ernst & Young, Transportation Research Center
Inc. (TRC Inc.) and Automotive News.
Recognized throughout the industry as the "Academy Award for Automotive
Innovation," the Automotive News PACE Award honors suppliers who have embraced
innovation or adapted and reinvented themselves to keep above the constantly
rising expectations of their OEM customers and automotive consumers. The
program spotlights game-changing innovations that demonstrate identifiable
practical benefits and competitive advantages in commerce. The prestigious
program sets the standard for innovation and the competitive edge it confers
and has become a significant industry credential.
Past PACE Award finalists represent the United States, Australia, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico,
Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The 2009 Automotive News PACE Award is presented in five categories:
Product -- Innovations in new products or services or in new product and
service development and introduction processes that have significant market
impact and act as "game changers" in the automotive industry.
Product-Europe -- As above, but innovations are developed/first
commercialized in Europe.
Information Technology and Services -- Applications in the IT category
highlight game-changing innovations in the design and implementation of
information systems solutions that enable companies to improve operational
performance or delivery of services. Examples of IT innovations include
applying information technology to improve product design and product
development processes, linking supplier and customer supply chains, developing
innovative approaches to connecting employees to company and industry
information, the use of information technologies within the vehicle as well as
innovations in service offerings. Applicants can be parts suppliers, service
suppliers or IT companies.
Manufacturing Process and Capital Equipment -- Innovations involving
game-changing processes (manufacturing or business) or innovative capital
equipment that supports the automotive supply chain or manufacturing
processes.
Open -- Innovations in other areas of the automotive supplier industry
that cannot be classified into the categories identified above, or are
reclassified at the judges' discretion. Past entries have included human
resources and sales and marketing.
Following an extensive review process of all finalists, including site
visits, 2009 Automotive News PACE Award winners will be announced at a gala
ceremony in Detroit, Mich. on April 20, 2009.
For complete information about the Automotive News PACE Award, and an
application, visit www.autonews.com/PACE or call 313-446-6039. The
application fee is $995 through Sept. 12, 2008. Late entries will be accepted
through Sept. 19 with a $1,500 application fee.
In addition to Ernst & Young and TRC Inc., the Automotive News PACE Award
is also sponsored by OESA.
SOURCE Automotive News

Pat Adanti-Joy, +1-586-939-3429, pat.joy@comcast.net, for Automotive News; or
Ellen Dennehy of Automotive News, +1-313-446-6039, edennehy@crain.com