As more manufacturers have grown to depend on Southeast Asia for many of their sourcing needs, they have also realized the difficulty in managing those efforts from thousands of miles away.
In a step to make its Asian procurement efforts more efficient, Oshkosh Corp., a manufacturer of specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies, recently opened an Asia Procurement Center in Shanghai, China.
As part of a global growth strategy that has already established procurement offices in Beijing and Hong Kong, Oshkosh's chairman and CEO Robert Bohn says the new location will allow the company to support its global manufacturing efforts by leveraging a local supply of parts.
"[This procurement center] enhances our long-term competitiveness and strengthens our leadership position in the markets we serve," notes Bohn. "Broadening our global footprint with local offices increases the scale of our operations, which is key to fueling our future growth."
Oshkosh employees and business partners gathered at the new Shanghai office for a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony. Company leaders spoke about the company's plan for conducting and growing business in China, and stressed the importance of strengthening strategic partnerships with suppliers.