Thanks to the global economic meltdown that began in 2008, virtually all automakers are looking for ways to cut costs. While every cent is being scrutinized these days, the biggest potential cost saver lies in better utilization of global platforms.
Most automakers are now moving towards global vehicle platforms, but Renault- Nissan , Toyota and Ford are making the most progress in the area, according to a study by CSM Worldwide. Compared to 1997, Renault-Nissan will see a 380 percent improvement in global platform sharing by 2015, producing 800,000 vehicles per platform. Toyota is expected to improve global platform sharing by 216 percent, making 835,000 units per vehicle platform. Ford will improve 185 percent to 719,000 units.
“We’re seeing a deconstruction of the old, staggeringly expensive operating model where automakers developed a full-range of unique products, from small cars to commercial vans, for each region,†said Michael Robinet, CSM vice president, global vehicle forecasts. “The future will see more high-volume global platforms and more product development alliances as automakers strive to become more investment efficient and less capital intensive companies.â€
The industry average improvement is expected to be 70 percent.
Meanwhile, Renault- Nissan , Toyota and Ford continue to diversify their production footprint. All three automakers will move away from production in their home markets, instead employing a philosophy of building vehicles where they are sold.
