AutoMOTIVE 5 - (Page 36)

Tim Leuliette metaldyne.qxd 24/11/06 10:44 am Page 36 AITPROPHET W HOUT HONOUR? Tim Leuliette, chairman and CEO of Metaldyne Corporation, is arguably the most outspoken executive in the industry at the present time. Sam Ogle asked him about his views on some of the most pressing issues facing automotive manufacturers today. be considered to be a man who knows what he's talking Tim Leuliette was once described as the John the about. Baptist of the automotive industry. For those of you too long out of Sunday school, JB was the original voice crying Rising costs and the quality of management in the wilderness. It's one thing to have plenty to say for The automotive industry today finds itself faced with yourself. Lots of people do. Most people don't listen much. ever-increasing costs of raw When you are one of the materials and transportation. most experienced Th e re is also a global a u t o m o t i ve executives manufacturing over-capacity. around, however, your words At Metaldyne, we have had six to Carmakers are understandably carry weight and are heard in seven percent annual growth over reluctant to cut their margins high places. Tim Leuliette the last five years, despite vehicle in a time of great financial held various engineering and production declines uncertainty, and yet fear the planning positions within consequences of increasing Ford Motor Company and the prices of their products to was executive director of Tim Leuliette the consumer. Is there an p ro d u c t planning for answer to such a conundrum? American Motors. At the Bendix Electronics Group of There is no economic model since the beginning of AlliedSignal Automotive he rose to become group vice president. Later he was to be president and CEO of recorded history that doesn't eventually require that the Siemens Automotive, ITT Automotive and Penske true cost of goods and services be ultimately passed on to Corporation before taking up his present role at the consumer, states Leuliette bluntly. It's the only way Metaldyne. In this position, Leuliette oversees the the economic models work. There may be periods of time operations of the global engine and chassis components when artificial circumstances can stop the orderly flow of company which has annual revenues of over $2 billion economics. For example, Richard Nixon instituted price and more than 7,500 employees at 45 facilities in 14 controls. It didn't work! The low-cost producer can recover countries around the world. He has just played a leading material costs because there is no choice. At Metaldyne, role in the $1.2 billion acquisition of Metaldyne by Asahi we have had six to seven percent annual growth over the Tec, and will be co-chairman of the new company. He may last five years, despite vehicle production declines. We 36 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AutoMOTIVE 5

Editors Note
News
Here For The Long Haul
Halewood. Rebirth of a Car Plant
Safety First
Focus on Flexibility
A Prophet Without Honour?
Chrysler Cuts It Four Ways
A MINI For All Reasons
Porsche Plans Continuous Logistics Improvement
Flawless, Consistent Execution
Ford's European Supplier Parks Deliver Lean Manufacturing Efficiencies
Cheap and Cheerful
Onwards and Upwards
Schrader and Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems Take the Pressure
No Faults Forward
A Long Way From Wheelbarrows and Bath Tubs
A New Era in US/Japanese Cooperation
A Dialogue of the Deaf

AutoMOTIVE 5

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