Automakers Do More With Less: Foreign Auto Industry Continues Investing in U.S. Plants
The number of foreign automotive manufacturers and suppliers investing in the United States continues to grow. According to a new study published by Capgemini (New York) and the Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation (OSAT) at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (Ann Arbor, MI), this trend will have a major impact on the future of the auto industry.
"Overseas automotive assemblers and suppliers that have found success in the competitive North American market focus on five key areas: Site selection, organizational structure, human resources, value chain and manufacturing excellence," says Michael Wujciak, vice president and managing director - global automotive sector at Capgemini. "Overseas firms are choosing locations in the South and Mid-South for U.S. plants, resulting in a second automotive concentration beyond the Detroit-centered, Midwestern location of the traditional U.S. industry. The political, social and economic implications of this shift are just coming into focus, and future studies will explore this in greater detail."