Powering Performance

A product manufactured today that is eligible under the original NAFTA program may no longer be eligible under the newly negotiated trade agreement – commonly referred to as NAFTA 2.0. Karin Muller, director, customer compliance and trade governance for Magna International, and Steve Gardon, vice president, global indirect taxes and customs, Lear Corporation, who head up AIAG’s NAFTA 2.0 Workgroup, will present an important session on what they describe as the “ABCs of USMCA” and the differences between it and NAFTA at the upcoming AIAG Supply Chain Summit, June 18, 2019.

AIAG is launching its MMOG/LE Version 5, and long-time, award-winning AIAG volunteer Terry Onica has been on the frontlines in implementing updates and training on the new platform, which will replace the prior Excel assessment. The MMOG/LE Version 5 global volunteer workgroup was comprised of experts from AIAG, Odette, QAD, Volvo, ZF, Ford, FCA, Continental, GALIA, SMMT, General Motors, and VDA. Their revision of MMOG/LE took about 18 months to complete and was reviewed by 35 stakeholders.

AIAG is adding new features to its Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Supply Chain Security system, which assists automotive importers and their business partners get certified as a low-security threat for shipping goods and materials into the United States. The enhancements include a new heat map that shows the location of each partner on a geographical map, similar to the display on Google Maps. Additionally, CTPAT partner survey information will be tagged to help the automotive importers visually identify and track their supply chain risks.

As the opening keynote speaker at the upcoming AIAG Supply Chain Summit on June 18, 2019, Michael Galluzzi, NASA’s principal Investigator and subject matter expert on supply chain management and logistics engineering in the Exploration Research and Technology Program at the Kennedy Space Center, will share recent NASA supply chain lessons learned and how these can be applied to automotive supply chain initiatives. A talk that covers the practical as well as the visionary, Galluzzi will provide intriguing insights on technologies that will impact the U.S. manufacturing base in the near future, as well as ideas from NASA’s approach to supply chain management that could advance not only the auto industry, but also the U.S. industrial supply base.

As a keynote speaker at the upcoming AIAG Supply Chain Summit on June 18, 2019, Mike Sturgeon will provide a unique perspective on the most pressing challenges related to global standards. In this exclusive sneak peek of his upcoming remarks, Sturgeon, the executive director of ECG, the Association of European Vehicle Logistics, will explain why AIAG and ECG are uniquely positioned to help the automotive industry move forward with global standards for global products.

Those of us in the business of global trade compliance are well aware of the increased attention in recent years to the issue of forced labor. This is not a new problem, but incidents in recent years with well-known brands, coupled with new legislation designed to curb behavior of this type, has increased the importance of supplier due diligence for those operating in global markets.

Designed for working professionals, this five day seminar-style course includes hands-on exercises and guest lecturers, and covers topics such as lean principles, process capability, value stream mapping, process improvement and Six Sigma implementation.

When automobiles change possession during the transportation chain, they should immediately be inspected for any damage and missing parts or options. Since accurately identifying the type and location of such damage is essential for claims administration – and helps support damage prevention efforts – this updated manual provides a standard set of codes and processes for recording vehicle exceptions for those handling vehicles during the shipping process.      

The automotive supply chain is long and complex. A break in the chain at a small, tier 3, single-part producer can be disastrous.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recognizes that trade supply chains are rapidly transforming themselves through the world of e-commerce and wants its regulatory oversight and technology to keep pace.