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Tim Leuliette metaldyne.qxd 24/11/06 10:44 am Page 36 AITPROPHET W HOUT
HONOUR? Tim Leuliette, chairman and CEO of Metaldyne Corporation, is
arguably the most outspoken executive in the industry at the present time.
Sam Ogle asked him about his views on some of the most pressing issues
facing automotive manufacturers today. be considered to be a man who knows
what he's talking Tim Leuliette was once described as the John the about.
Baptist of the automotive industry. For those of you too long out of
Sunday school, JB was the original voice crying Rising costs and the
quality of management in the wilderness. It's one thing to have plenty to
say for The automotive industry today finds itself faced with yourself.
Lots of people do. Most people don't listen much. ever-increasing costs of
raw When you are one of the materials and transportation. most experienced
Th e re is also a global a u t o m o t i ve executives manufacturing
over-capacity. around, however, your words At Metaldyne, we have had six
to Carmakers are understandably carry weight and are heard in seven
percent annual growth over reluctant to cut their margins high places. Tim
Leuliette the last five years, despite vehicle in a time of great financial
held various engineering and production declines uncertainty, and yet fear
the planning positions within consequences of increasing Ford Motor
Company and the prices of their products to was executive director of Tim
Leuliette the consumer. Is there an p ro d u c t planning for answer to
such a conundrum? American Motors. At the Bendix Electronics Group of
There is no economic model since the beginning of AlliedSignal Automotive
he rose to become group vice president. Later he was to be president and
CEO of recorded history that doesn't eventually require that the Siemens
Automotive, ITT Automotive and Penske true cost of goods and services be
ultimately passed on to Corporation before taking up his present role at
the consumer, states Leuliette bluntly. It's the only way Metaldyne. In
this position, Leuliette oversees the the economic models work. There may
be periods of time operations of the global engine and chassis components
when artificial circumstances can stop the orderly flow of company which
has annual revenues of over $2 billion economics. For example, Richard
Nixon instituted price and more than 7,500 employees at 45 facilities in
14 controls. It didn't work! The low-cost producer can recover countries
around the world. He has just played a leading material costs because
there is no choice. At Metaldyne, role in the $1.2 billion acquisition of
Metaldyne by Asahi we have had six to seven percent annual growth over the
Tec, and will be co-chairman of the new company. He may last five years,
despite vehicle production declines. We 36
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AutoMOTIVE 5
Editors Note
News
Here For The Long Haul
Halewood. Rebirth of a Car Plant
Safety First
Focus on Flexibility
A Prophet Without Honour?
Chrysler Cuts It Four Ways
A MINI For All Reasons
Porsche Plans Continuous Logistics Improvement
Flawless, Consistent Execution
Ford's European Supplier Parks Deliver Lean Manufacturing Efficiencies
Cheap and Cheerful
Onwards and Upwards
Schrader and Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems Take the Pressure
No Faults Forward
A Long Way From Wheelbarrows and Bath Tubs
A New Era in US/Japanese Cooperation
A Dialogue of the Deaf
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