Who gets windfall as material costs fall? Tug of war between carmakers, suppliers

摘要

At first glance, it seems like a contradiction. Now that North American auto production is rising to record levels, raw materials such as steel, aluminum and copper ought to be more expensive, right? Instead, they've gotten cheaper - a lot cheaper. Automakers and suppliers are spending about $1,325 per vehicle for their raw materials - $669 less than in August 2014, according to a study released last week by AlixPartners.