New Asian Players – A Challenge for the European Supplier Industry

Authors

Dr.-Ing. M. Paul, Member of the Board, Dipl.-Oec. K. Kimmelmann, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen

Year

2006

Print Info

Fortschritt-Berichte VDI, Reihe 12, Nr. 622

Summary

he European supplier industry faces new challenges. While the Homemarket Europe is characterized by saturation, cost pressure, concentration processes, high tech demand and a strong dependency on exports there are new challenges and potentials in the emerging markets (strong growth, new players, need for “Western” technology, overca-pacities). The growing activities of Asian players –on the vehicle manufacturer side as well as on the supplier side have led to a changing market environment. These trends lead to new chances and challenges for the European supplier industry making some strategic adaptations necessary: customer orientation and market individualization with tailor-made solutions for customers and regions. Cultural change, as new markets and new players not only influence the globalization strategy but also the traditional homemarkets. As innovation is defined by regional market needs, the local technology leadership plays an important role, along with local production and a local supply base. Key suc-cess factor is LOCALIZEERING which means the adaptation of products to regional de-mands as well as local R&D; World design seems not the right strategic option.

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