NEW BOUNDRIES FOR COMPANIES IN THE SHEET METAL INDUSTRIES

J Griffiths & B Shirvani

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Technology, University of Central England, Birmingham, UK

The key challenges for automotive companies at the turn of the century are globalisation and satisfying changing patterns of customer demand. Car assemblers have responded by offering increased variety and product customisation. The paper looks at how this leads to complexity within the supply chain and for the supply chain members. It concludes that the larger companies will seek to become global through consolidation and acquisitions reducing risk in mature markets and gaining access to new and emerging ones. This can provide them with the motive and opportunity to move their manufacturing capabilities anywhere in the world. For smaller companies, limited by size and position, this is not good news.

Keywords: Globalisation, mass customisation, complexity, supply chain structures