Automotive assemblers are investing heavily in new automatic transfer presses and automated tandem lines which, together with new working practices based around team systems, is greatly increasing overall available press capacity. The requirements for capacity utilisation, flexibility, and control over core strategic production areas have to be reconciled with demands for greater vertical disintegration and a reduced supply base as firms attempt to create 'lean' organisations. Japanese 'transplant' production locations in the UK are setting new benchmarks for automotive presswork efficiency. At the same time greater demands are being placed on presswork components suppliers, for example in terms of delivery times and frequency, quality, and more efficient production. This is leading to segmentation, concentration, and internationalisation in the pressowrk components sector. This paper, drawing on 18 months research across Europe, reviews and analyses the above trends. We provide estimates of the size of the sector in Europe, and suggest that new technology in presswork and related fields creates investment barriers to firms in the sector. We also argue that processing sheet metal is only part of the production system for components firms, as increasing demands are made for finished and semi-finished sub-assemblies.


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    Title :

    Technology, procurement practices, and structural change in the automotive presswork sector


    Additional title:

    Technologie, Zulieferwesen und Strukturveränderungen im automobilen Bereich der Umformtechnik


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    1992


    Size :

    9 Seiten, 2 Bilder, 2 Tabellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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