BURSCHEID, Germany — Johnson Controls has signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of Michel Thierry, a respected supplier of fabrics and lamination to the automotive industry, with strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities in Europe – primarily in France, Spain and the Czech Republic – and operations worldwide. Michel Thierry’s headquarters and main facility are based in Laroque d’Olmes, France.

Michel Thierry’s product line includes automotive textiles for seating and for interiors and leather production for seating and interiors. Capabilities include design, development, production, weaving, knitting, lamination, embossing, screen printing, welding and laser punching.

Johnson Controls said this strategic acquisition will position the company as one of the global leaders in textiles and in integrated trim, thus creating opportunities for future business growth.

According to the company, Johnson Controls’ expertise in cut and sew and Michel Thierry’s expertise in fabrics meet customers’ increasing demand for integrated services – from fabrics to complete seats – on a global scale. The company also anticipates enhanced innovation opportunities and the potential for further quality optimization by covering the entire process chain with early customer involvement. The company added that the acquisition also puts JCI in a position to make better use of growth potential in Chinese and North American markets.

There are 1,700 employees associated with the business. Completion of the acquisition, subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected by the end of November.