Strategically Integrated Partnerships for Materials and Auto Producers

摘要

The relationship between automobile companies and materials producers, particularly those in the aluminum business, has traditionally been characterized by a gap. It featured isolated queries from automobile designers to materials suppliers in the product concept stage and equally isolated specifications from purchasing agents in the product design and fabrication stages. The primary contribution of this relationship was that it successfully suboptimized the potential of both parties. Nevertheless, the design of a material cannot be separated from the design of a body structure if all aspects of the performance, economy, and safety of the car are to be maximized. Further, the design of materials and body structure must be integrated with the design of its component manufacturing and final assembly. In short, manufacturers must take a holistic view of the car-from concept through recycling-and materials producers must be included in the process.