SUPPLIER EYE

The high rate of structural changes to the North American Light Vehicle market demands a new approach by the supply base towards strategic planning. A new Supplier Strategy Playbook is in order.

First, some historical perspective. For the last several decades, suppliers grew accustomed to a product cadence of approximately five years between all-new platforms and major revisions. In North America, we were constantly pressed to continue improving vehicle efficiency and reduce emissions. Improved powertrain efficiency, vehicle lightweighting, and the advent of enhanced aerodynamics helped an industry that required constant innovation. Additionally, many programs were global in scope, requiring production and tooling in the major regions to launch in close sequence with global scale in tow. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. The textbook for suppliers was complex, though relatively predictable.