Supplying GM

When General Motors emerged from bankruptcy protection it was split into two units. Now, ‘Old GM’ has taken responsibility for most of the company debt, leaving ‘New GM’ – which is responsible for maintaining core production operations - to use its improving cash liquidity to implement a series of initiatives that will ultimately see the largely autonomous regional divisions brought together under a leaner management hierarchy.

Supplying GM reviews what changes have been made throughout the company in order to lay a foundation for this plan-in-progress, primarily from the perspective of how the company is aiming to reposition itself from a global company split into regions, to a global company building global products. This coverage includes how production strategies are being put in place to maximise both local and global efficiencies, and how those facilities will fit into the new global structure. Additionally, the report details how GM will look to increase the role of a centralized purchasing office as it looks to put in place an increased number of global supply contracts in order to fully leverage the OEM’s global buying power.

Further sections of the Supplying GM report cover such areas as the products, systems and materials General Motors is developing at a series of new technology centres around the world, the largest of which is based in China – now the carmaker’s largest single market. The research details how this push for new technology will be of vital importance to GM as it attempts to win and maintain market share around the world, while the company ‘learns’ how to quickly incorporate and deliver these new technologies to eager customers.

General Motors is a company in transition. Supplying GM outlines and analyzes the changes and  strategies being defined and implemented across the company as it looks to redefine itself in terms of  efficiency, quality and cost, and what this will mean for GM as it looks to the future.

OVERVIEW

Introduction
Overall sales
Financials

PRODUCT AND PLATFORM STRATEGY

Strategy overview
Major model programmes
Platform strategy
Major platforms
Component sharing
Volume planning

PRODUCTION STRATEGY

Production strategy overview
Manufacturing network

NORTH AMERICA

Internal supply network
Modularisation strategy
Supplier parks
Cluster of reference
Manufacturing strategy and efficiency plans

PURCHASING STRATEGY

Purchasing strategy overview
Levels of vertical integration and outsourcing
Purchasing organisation
Purchasing offices
Key offices
Key purchasing personnel
Purchasing spending

SUPPLIER SELECTION

Supply base development
Major and strategic suppliers
Openness to new suppliers
Supplier selection criteria

GLOBAL SOURCING

Approach
NORTH AMERICA
EUROPE
CHINA
SOUTH KOREA
ASIA/ASEAN
RUSSIA
SOUTH AMERICA

PRICING POLICY

Price reduction plans and practices
Payment terms
Cost-reduction programmes
Raw material price management

QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Quality level
Quality management systems
Integration into product development
Management of sub-suppliers
Supplier awards

TECHNOLOGY

Technological positioning
Areas of focus
R&D spending
R&D organisation
Access to supplier technology
Approach to alternative fuels, electrification and fuel cells
Management of vehicle development

INTERVIEW

OEM-SUPPLIER SURVEY RESULTS

Introduction to the SuRe Index
Methodology
Executive summary
Profit potential
Organization
Trust
Pursuit of excellence
Outlook

SWOT ANALYSIS - SUPPLYING GM

GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

FORWARD MODEL PROGRAMME

MAJOR SUPPLIERS – GENERAL MOTORS

List of Figures

Figure 1: 2008 – 2017 global light vehicle sales [Source: IHS Automotive]
Figure 2: Opel hopes the new Adam will prove to be a market success
Figure 3: The Volt features a new powertrain and advanced materials
Figure 4: List of Vehicles Using Delta 2 (D2xx) Platform
Figure 5: GM’s Plant Floor Communications Network Benefit Drivers [Source: Cisco]
Figure 6: The LEED-accredited facilities at the Lansing Delta Township production plant
Figure 7: GM awarded Lear the 2011 Corporation of the Year award
Figure 8: SuRe Index 2010-2011 – Top End of the Ranking
Figure 9: SuRe Index 2010-2011 – Middle of the Ranking
Figure 10: SuRe Index 2010-2011 – Bottom of the Ranking
Figure 11: General Motors’s global plant locations
Figure 12: The 2014 Chevrolet Impala will be produced at multiple plants around the world

List of Tables

Table 1: General Motors financial data overview (Source: Hyundai, Reuters, Moody's, Fitch, S&P)
Table 2: GM Global Vehicle Plant Production Forecast 2012 - 2017
Table 3: General Motors’s plant locations with production forecast for 2012
Table 4: General Motors Global Sourcing Footprint
Table 5: General Motors - Forward Model Programme - by Global Nameplate
Table 6: Major Suppliers to GM