INNOVATION
Toyota looks to supplier innovation to build on global success SRM has helped propel Toyota on its journey to become the world’s largest automotive manufacturer. But to meet the challenges in the next leap forward in mobility, the company is striving to accelerate innovation with new sets of suppliers, says Toyota Motor Europe purchasing director Jean-Christophe Deville. I n 2018, influential automotive Jean- Christophe Deville
challenges the industry faces in the coming years. Like all automotive manufacturers, Toyota is looking to succeed in a transforming industry. Not only do we have to shift to electrified vehicles to play our role in a low-carbon economy, we also need to build connected cars, develop mobility as a service, and adopt increasing automation. Toyota is already leading in these areas. In Japan, the Toyota Motor Corporation has launched a Mobility Services Platform (MSPF), a cloud- based digital ecosystem that provides the tools necessary to bring to market mobility services including ride sharing, car sharing and remote delivery. Meanwhile, Toyota Connected works with telematics, big data and mobility services in partnership with companies such as Avis Budget Group and Uber.
consultancy Planning Perspectives confirmed again the importance of strong relationships with suppliers and their positive impact on both side bottom-lines. The importance of supplier relationships is not news to Toyota. We have long focused on supplier relationships to boost our performance, and the hard work has paid off. For 10 years, Toyota has been named the top original equipment manufacturer by suppliers in Planning Perspective’s industry survey in the US. Our philosophy applies globally and we also behave in the same way in Europe. Our suppliers play a huge role in determining our performance and our costs. But even though our approach to managing relationships has been successful, it must adapt to meet the
8
STATE OF FLUX
Powered by FlippingBook