John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology, will join Brett Smith, assistant director of manufacturing, engineering and technology for the Center for Automotive Research; Nancy Philippart, executive director of GM Accessories Business Channel of General Motors Corp.; Michael Chetcuti, CEO of Quality Metalcraft Inc. and principal for Streetcar USA; Mike O’Brien, corporate manager product planning for Toyota Motor Sales USA; Beau Boeckmann, president for Galpin Auto Sports and vice president for Galpin Motors; and George Dettloff, CEO and president for SKF North America; Dave Yegge, operations manager, American Expedition Vehicles; Larry Conville, industry & public relations manager, Skyjacker Suspensions; and Steve Irby, founder and president, Kicker Car Audio to present “Designing for Customization” during the 2007 Management Briefing Seminars, set for August 6–10, at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City, Michigan.
The session, “Designing for Customization,” organized by Waraniak and Smith and supported by SEMA, will provide insight about how leading companies are applying design for customization and accessorization (DFC/A) to meet the increasing demand for differentiation, while maintaining high-volume profitability.
As OEMs are looking for products, processes and partners to help them create and launch the most accessory-friendly vehicles for fragmenting markets—in order to drive increased profits—the future of aftermarket suppliers is all about the micro-niche delivering, fully integrated customization while significantly reducing capital investment for tooling and time to profit. However, it takes a new manufacturing, marketing and production mind-set to make it work.
“Designing for Customization,” will include presentations and a panel discussion from OEMs and SEMA suppliers that highlight how successful programs achieve this balance and will present a forum for the OEMs to showcase some of their more creative programs to the traditional suppliers and automotive press community. SEMA-member companies participating in the session include Kicker, Quality Metalcraft Inc., Skyjacker and SKF; OEMs include Toyota and General Motors.
Key points that will be included and reinforced with examples from presenters are:
- Speed to market and profit with the right formula is essential to successfully delivering high-demand vehicles, modules and systems.
- Leveraging the creativity of suppliers with strong brands and authentically sharing brand equity and identity as the vehicles come to market is critical.
This session and others will be featured in the annual 2007 Management Briefing Seminars, a week of educational sessions and networking with high-level executives from the automotive industry. For complete information and a list of additional confirmed participants, visit http://www.cargroup.org.