CROSSED WIRES
According to Plante Moran’s OEM-Supplier Working Relations Index (WRI) Study, there is “rising tension” between OEMs and suppliers, largely due to increased risk to short-term cost recovery issues, production scheduling and supply chain disruptions as the industry transitions to electric vehicles. “These are compounded by long-term strategic issues suppliers have, related to adequate insight into automakers’ EV strategy and timing so they can effectively plan for the transition in terms of adequate capital, acquisitions and staffing investment. New market conditions, such as supply chain disruptions and new technologies that change product plans and manufacturing strategies, require short- and long-term forecasts and production schedules to be more accurate and to be communicated more timely with suppliers,” reads the survey, which polls 715 salespeople from 459 Tier 1 suppliers and tracks supplier sentiment on six of the largest OEMs in North America.
FORD’S FIGURES
Ford of Canada no longer reports sales figures by quarter, and the OEM asserts it no longer reports sales by “regional market”—yet it reported regional U.S. sales numbers for Q1 2023. The OEM made the announcement by quietly writing on its website that it will “report global results with a focus on three new business segments rather than by geographic reasons.” Regardless, Ford reported its Q1 U.S. sales numbers in early April. Some industry experts are worried other OEMs may do the same, similar to the mass switch from monthly to quarterly reports in 2019. When asked if the OEM would provide quarterly sales numbers to media, Ford said they “could ask, but we won’t provide those [figures] to any media.”
ELECTRIC READY
Certified Collision Care has been selected by VinFast to administer and manage the Vietnamese automaker’s Certified Collision Repair Program in Canada, the OEM’s next step in establishing service infrastructure for its Canadian customers. Certified Collision Care is a division of OEConnection (OEC), Canada’s largest network of OEM Certified repair providers and administers the Canadian OEM Collision Certification programs for several international automakers. Under the partnership, Certified Collision Care will identify and certify repair centres in their network, once VinFast Certified Collision Repair Program standards have been met.
