In the spirit of the 100th Annual North American International Auto Show, DaimlerChrysler AG announced today the 2006 winners of its fourth-annual “Global Supplier Award.” Company officials recognized the award recipients Wednesday evening at the Detroit Fire Department’s historic 1929 Firehouse, just steps away from the auto show. Approximately 500 attendees, including top executives from the auto industry’s global supply base were on hand for the celebration.
The 2006 DaimlerChrysler AG Global Supplier Award winners, from three continents, are (by commodity):
— Mitsubishi Electrical Corporation, Japan (Electrical/Electronics);
— Seton Company, U.S.A. (Interior);
— REHAU, Germany (Exterior);
— Cooper-Standard Automotive, U.S.A. (Powertrain);
— Kuka Schweissanlagen Group, Germany (Production Equipment and
Services);
— Mediterranean Shipping Company, Switzerland (Logistics).
“At DaimlerChrysler, the contributions of our suppliers are indispensable to our success and we applaud our 2006 Global Supplier Award Winners for their outstanding efforts last year,” said Thomas W. Sidlik, DaimlerChrysler AG Board of Management Member, responsible for Global Procurement & Supply. “Mutual achievements can only be realized through high standards, close cooperation and leveraging the strength of our entire supply chain.”
Rising to the Challenge
Suppliers must have a minimum of three million Euro (approximately 3.9 million U.S. dollars) worth of business within multiple divisions of DaimlerChrysler, in order to be considered a contender for the award. More than 175 suppliers met the minimum volume of business.
The key value drivers for evaluating outstanding performance are in the categories of quality, technology, cost and delivery, which form the core of DaimlerChrysler’s Extended Enterprise(R) business strategy of cooperating with its suppliers.
The four value drivers are also the specific categories of metrics the company uses to determine sourcing strategies, due to the objectivity, transparency, and fact-based methodology of the criteria.
“Each DaimlerChrysler supplier knows what it takes to be considered a top performer in its respective commodity and this year’s winners rose to the challenge,” stated Sidlik. “That’s the beauty of the Extended Enterprise and the External Balanced Scorecard – these tools foster open communication and transparency throughout the supply chain, enabling competitive levels of performance.”
Globe Trotting Suppliers
Reflecting the trend of an automotive industry that still continues to become more global and interconnected every year, the 2006 award recipients truly earn the description “globe trotter.” With headquarters either in Asia, Europe or North America, each of the supplier companies represent the growing global presence of the auto industry’s supply base.
For example, the powertrain commodity winner, Cooper-Standard Automotive, is headquartered in the U.S. and they have facilities in South Australia, Spain and China. And the logistics commodity winner, Mediterranean Shipping Company, is based in Switzerland, but they represent one of DaimlerChrysler’s main ocean carriers for parts and materials around the globe.
“Motor City” Trophy
A custom-designed trophy, created from natural materials found in the transportation business – glass, metal and rubber — was created for the Global Supplier Award winners by Rebecca Thomas, a design student from Detroit’s College for Creative Studies (CCS). CCS is one of the leading arts education institutions in the U.S., and has one of the world’s most recognized programs in transportation design, placing more graduates in the automotive industry than any other school.
This year’s awards ceremony was hosted by Thomas W. Sidlik. Speeches were delivered by Sidlik and Eric Ridenour, Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer, both members of DaimlerChrysler AG’s Board of Management. The trophies were presented by several DaimlerChrysler executives:
— Stefan Buchner, Vice President – Commercial Vehicles Procurement;
— Bob Schott, Vice President – Worldwide Procurement, Chrysler Group;
— Frank Deiss, Vice President – Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car Procurement;
— Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President -Product Development, Chrysler
Group;
— Dr. Heinrich Reidelbach, Vice President – International Procurement
Services;
— Dave Hodgson, Vice President – Worldwide Supply, Chrysler Group.
Suppliers Partnership for the Environment
