Suppliers tighten their own supply bases

摘要

Automotive suppliers are being squeezed on all sides,forcing many to restructure.The Big Three are cutting production and losing market share,which translates into reduced purchasing and smaller orders from tier suppliers.At the same time,the traditional OEMs and the"new domestic"automakers want lower prices for parts even as costs of energy and raw materials increase.This has abetted the wave of Chapter 11 reorganizations in the supply base,and none of this buyer-supplier trauma is about to end soon,says Neil De Koker,president of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association."The headwinds won't be gone overnight,"he says in a recent interview,"but they will subside."When that happens,probably next decade,he insists that buyers and suppliers"will operate in a new environment of meaningful relationships."