Ford's Supply Chain Needs a Better Idea

Sept. 18, 2007
Ford ranked #4 in good supplier relationships -- behind Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

If you want to understand exactly why Ford Motor has seen its reputation and market share erode in recent years, all you need to do is talk to its suppliers. That's what automotive research firm Planning Perspectives did as part of its annual survey of working relations between the original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers.

In terms of which U.S. automakers suppliers prefer to do business with, the top three are Toyota, Honda and Nissan, whose parent companies, of course, are based in Japan.

No. 4 on the list is DaimlerChrysler (the sell-off of Chrysler to Cerberus occurred after the survey was conducted). Moving up one notch to fifth place this year is General Motors, and bringing up the rear at No. 6 out of six is Ford.

While both GM and Ford have launched efforts to improve relations with their suppliers in recent years, only GM's seems to be working, says John Henke Jr., president and CEO of Planning Perspectives. "The Ford program has been a disappointing failure," he says. "This is unfortunate because Ford more than ever is dependent on the support of its suppliers to help in its turnaround."

See Also

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Navigating Disruption: A Leader’s Guide to Strategy Under Uncertainty

Nov. 1, 2023
AI, sustainability, digital--industrials are facing disruptive forces that are redefining what it takes to win. What got your company where it is today won’t get you where you...

Disruptive EV Technologies Are Driving New Supplier Realities

Sept. 20, 2023
Vehicle electrification is upending the automotive landscape, forcing suppliers to make critical strategic and operational decisions. Understand what that means for you in our...

How Manufacturers Can Optimize Operations with Weather Intelligence

Nov. 2, 2023
The bad news? Severe weather has emerged as one of the biggest threats to continuity and safety in manufacturing. The good news? The intelligence solutions that build weather ...

Food and Beverage 2024 Trends and Outlook for North America

Oct. 29, 2023
Ready to hear what 200 of your peers said are the top challenges and opportunities in 2024? Don’t fall behind. Uncover actionable insights to better prepare for 2024 in this whitepaper...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!