AUTOMOBILES

Supplier Rewarded: Calsonic Climate Control Inc., an Irvine maker of automotive air-conditioning systems, has been selected as Supplier of the Year by Nissan Motor Corp. U.S.A.

Calsonic is one of about 500 U.S. companies from which Nissan buys nearly $2 billion in parts and equipment each year for installation on cars and trucks made in Japan and at its Tennessee facility.

Japanese car makers are stepping up their purchase of U.S.-made parts in an effort to improve trade balances and disarm critics who fault the companies for slighting domestic manufacturers in favor of Japanese suppliers. Nissan has said it intends to boost its purchase of U.S. parts and supplies to $3.4 billion a year by 1998.