ABC Group Celebrates 40 Years of Success


TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 27, 2014) - ABC Group is one of North America's top tier one automotive parts suppliers. An award-winning international success story, ABC Group started in Ontario, Canada in 1974 and now has over 5,000 employees and 27 manufacturing facilities in Canada (Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia), the United States (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee), Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Poland and China, as well as technical sales offices in Japan and Germany.

ABC Group has aggressively expanded its global manufacturing footprint in order to respond to its customers. "When the OEM's started focusing on globalization of programs, we responded" said Helga Schmidt, CEO and Chairman of ABC Group. "Over the past three years we have been strategically focused on global growth, with the implementation of new plants in Mexico, Tennessee and China and facility expansions in Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Ontario. As we enter the next chapter in our company's history, we embrace that growth and look forward to more opportunities across the globe."

The company has received many awards, including this year's inaugural GM Overdrive Award, in addition to the GM Supplier of the Year award for three consecutive years. Mrs. Schmidt was also honored with the first President's Award from WEConnect Canada for outstanding leadership in implementing supplier diversity in business enterprises run by women in Canada.

"ABC is not just investing in bricks and mortar in order to increase our global footprint, we believe the key to our continued competitive success on global platforms is through advanced product development, continuous improvement in our facilities and the training and development of our employees. It is those employees and their dedication and hard work that have directly contributed to 40 years of steady growth and sustained success," says Mary Anne Bueschkens, President and General Counsel.

Some of the Company's growth over the past few years has been through alliances and joint ventures. "Strategic joint ventures are an excellent way to maximize technology, footprint and synergies with a like-minded partner in order to diversify our product offering and increase our global platform coverage" said Mary Anne.

ABC Group has a successful joint venture with INOAC Corporation focusing primarily on spoilers for the North American market. ABC Group also has a joint venture in China with Huaxiang Co. and INOAC Corporation with manufacturing facilities in Shenyang and Ningbo. In 2014 ABC Group formed joint venture ABCOR Filters in Ontario, Canada with Italian company Cornaglia to design, develop and manufacture filters for air induction systems.

"In the ever-transforming automotive world that we reside in, we the suppliers must continue to re-invent and adapt ourselves in order to be successful. ABC Group's forty year milestone represents a commitment to our growing list of customers, something that would not be possible without the investment in innovation and our employees," said Helga Schmidt.

About ABC Group Inc.

For further information about ABC group Inc., go to www.abcgroupinc.com.

Contact Information:

ABC Group Inc.
Derrick Phelps
Deputy President & Chief Strategy Officer
416.246.1782
derrick.phelps@abcgrp.com

ABC Group Inc.
Mark Poynton
Chief Operating Officer
416.246.1782
mark.poynton@abcgrp.com
www.abcgroupinc.com