Life after GM ownership: the highs and lows for spun-off suppliers (Part 1)

摘要

For many of GM's former supplier subsidiaries life as 'independent' companies has been both daunting and challenging. In part one of this two-part feature Colin Whitbread examines the situation at Detroit Diesel, EDS and American Axle. With attention continuing to be focused on GM's poor 2005 performance, and its struggle to secure progress in 2006, the evolution of the OEM's many previous supplier subsidiaries, since spun-off, tends to be overlooked. This is particularly relevant as GM appears once again poised to follow this route and divest at least part of its current ownership of General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), an important cash cow to the company, in order to generate funds for the mainstream vehicle manufacturing business.