Lean suppliers reap huge rewardsLean suppliers reap huge rewards

Despite slower automotive sales and continuing pressure to reduce prices, supplier earnings continue to increase in the first three months of 1995 over year-ago figures. Most credit lean manufacturing and operating systems for the growing margins. Some examples: Allied Signal Automotive ups its first-quarter net from $52 million in 1994 to $56 million this year. Lear Seating Corp.'s profit goes from $6.5 million in '94 to $17 million in '95, while competing Johnson Controls Inc. gains 27% to $32.3 million in the period. ITT Automotive increases its earnings 60% over the same period last year, and TRW Inc.'s automotive group celebrates an 82.8% profit improvement over 1994 with $172.9 million in earnings. Rockwell Automotive improves from $656 million in '94 to $815 million in '95; Trinova Corp.'s $22.6 million is its best quarter in six years; Arvin Industries Inc. improves from $479.2 million in '94 to $553.4 million in '95; Walbro Corp.'s net is up 19.5% versus a year ago; Timken Co. reports record first-quarter earnings of $34.3 million, up from $7.7 million in '94, and Textron Inc. boasts a 14% increase in profits to $109 million.