Buckle Up: Navigating the evolving landscape of the automotive industry

In the ongoing race to rebuild, reengineer, and reinvent the automotive industry, we find ourselves facing significant challenges, but also enormous opportunities.

The automotive industry is operating less efficiently than 5 years ago. The current climate is daunting, with pressure mounting from labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, regulatory changes, and strategic shifts, but it’s in these times of uncertainty that companies can truly differentiate themselves. Yes, it’s challenging to adapt, but it’s also essential. Improving efficiency can increase capacity substantially and alleviate much of the pain of growth and change — without needing lots of additional capex.

A phrase often used by Navy SEALs comes to mind: “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast."

Seraph frequently sees companies neglecting crucial tools and tactics in the rush to launch, leaving them running ragged down the line. From quality shortfalls to production crises, major issues crop up time and time again. 

Fortunately, the tools to tackle these issues are straightforward. Tried-and-true strategies such as layered process audits, MDI, PFEPs, Kanban, APQP, gap analysis, visual communication, and other operational excellence tools still hold immense value. They contain wisdom refined over decades, providing a predictable route to improved outcomes, focusing teams on what’s important and bringing order to the chaos. The goal is to serve both indirect labor and operators on the line to ensure that we solve their problems, which we can only do with clear communication and accurate data (ProductionNet).

Seraph’s NA automotive report looks back at some of the changing trends in Q1.