Automotive & Heavy Vehicles
Meeting the Automotive
Daimler, one the biggest producers of premium cars and the world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, continues to strengthen its global position. With the invaluable support of its supplier network, the company is ready to meet the challenges of future automotive market developments. Romana Moares reports.
Challenge D
aimler AG, one of the world’s most successful automotive companies, continues to focus on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior vehicles that both captivate and inspire. The company’s efforts are also focused on the intelligent connectivity of its vehicles, autonomous driving and new mobility concepts. The business development is supported by increased investment - in the first quarter of 2019, €1.7 billion was invested worldwide in new products and technologies, capacity expansion and modernization, primarily at the production and assembly plants (Q1 2018: €1.3 billion). The plants in Germany accounted for €1.2 billion of the investment in property, plant and equipment (Q1 2018: €1.1 billion). Research and development spending increased to €2.4 billion (Q1 2018: €2.3 billion). Daimler’s progress is supported by a global supplier network that is selected and maintained on the basis of the following criteria -
quality, partnership, innovation, economy, delivery reliability and sustainability. These key criteria are awarded each year in the Daimler Supplier Award to honour above-average performance as well as partnership with ten suppliers over the past fiscal year.
Vision. Venture. Value In February 2019, the eleventh Daimler Supplier Award event was held in Stuttgart, with 450 strategic partners and key suppliers from 30 nations coming to the prize-giving ceremony, this year bearing the motto VISION. VENTURE. VALUE. The motto is a blueprint for successful business and future collaboration between Daimler and its business partners. Andreas Burkhart, Head of International Procurement Services, emphasised the importance of suppliers: “With the Daimler Supplier Award, we honor suppliers with outstanding achievements in the Industry Europe 73
