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With its proven competitive product development, manufacturing capabilities and strong engineering know-how, India is positioned to become an integral part of the global automotive value chain as demand shifts toward smaller, less expensive and environment-friendly vehicles.
1:17 pm U.S. ET | Sept.1
Undoubtedly, the financial crisis has severely impacted the automotive industry — if not more so than — any other industry. What are you doing differently to manage your business during this tumultuous period? Have you shifted your focus? Working with the Economist Intelligence Unit, we asked these questions of leading, global executives.
12:05 pm U.S. ET | Aug.12
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), especially in North America, have developed effective mechanisms to monitor their direct suppliers for signs of financial stress. The reliability of such systems declines rapidly at the next level of suppliers — the place where the supply chain is most vulnerable during these difficult economic times.
11:29 am U.S. ET | Aug.12
Russia’s new-car market grew at an average annual rate of 20% over the past five years to reach 2.8 million in 2008. But the global economic downturn has hit Russia hard, and analysts say new-car sales this year will plunge about 50% below year-ago volumes. Unit sales are likely to recover significantly by the end of 2009—and signal a stronger shift toward locally produced vehicles.
4:20 pm U.S. ET | Aug.6
In the current economic environment, the automotive industry is facing growing risk across the enterprise. In the ongoing series of Ernst & Young Global Automotive Center Viewpoints, this installment focuses on spreadsheet risk that results from thousands of department-level spreadsheets that organizations create on an as-needed basis to run their business.
10:32 am U.S. ET | June22
When car sales in Europe began to drop last autumn, Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen responded by reducing output 40%. The cutback, which continued to February 2009, caused an especially sharp drop in vehicle production in France. Production has since returned to levels in line with actual car sales, but the earlier reductions had a profound impact on suppliers.
12:18 am U.S. ET | June10
While most of the media attention on the industry focuses on the dismal sales levels, the current situation paints a rather upbeat outlook for one segment of the automotive industry: the automotive aftermarket business. With new car sales down and the average age of vehicles increasing, the inevitable outcome is an increase in the need for routine and light maintenance.
11:57 am U.S. ET | May 28
The need for effective cost control has never been stronger in the US automotive industry. While many companies are aggressively pursuing the ‘low hanging fruit,’ few are actually taking a holistic view necessary to truly maximize the potential savings.
10:56 am U.S. ET | May 9
The current economic downturn means that car dealers in Europe face many of the same issues confronting the region’s carmakers: the need to cut costs, consolidate and find new sources of revenue. It is a time for innovative thinking, because the old ways of doing business have become less effective.
1:00 pm U.S. ET | May 9
Market challenges for European carmakers were mounting long before the current economic crisis began. Meeting proposed carbon dioxide emission standards will be expensive, and the deepening global car sales slump has magnified the economic hurdles ahead. Other factors complicate the future for both carmakers and their suppliers.
11:21 am U.S. ET | May 9