AIAG to Release Results of Global Quality Survey through J.D. Power at Inaugural Quality Summit

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AIAG will release the results of a first-of-its-kind Global Quality Survey it is commissioning through J.D. Power and Associates at AIAG's inaugural Quality Summit in September, the not-for-profit, member-supported organization announced today. The summit, "The Future of Quality: Performance Rules," will feature keynote addresses by Joshua Halliburton, senior director of global consulting at J.D. Power and Associates, and Peter Merrill, a recognized expert and author in the process of innovation.

"Driven by increasingly demanding and discriminating consumers, performance, now more than ever before, rules," said J. Scot Sharland, executive director of AIAG. "Growing demand in emerging markets, the expanding use of global platforms and sourcing, increasing product complexity and a new generation of professionals entering the workforce are all contemporary business challenges that are fundamentally reshaping our vision of the future of quality."

AIAG's two-day quality summit will be held Sept. 17-18 at the Laurel Manor Banquet & Conference Center in Livonia, Mich. Automotive industry experts will provide key updates on the ISO/TS 16949 quality management system; insight on how cutting-edge companies have been able to harness "Innovation on Demand;" proposed new/common lower-tier quality management guidelines; and best practice reports.

AIAG commissioned J.D. Power and Associates to conduct the landmark Global Quality Survey. The survey of key automotive industry leaders and supply chain quality experts will evaluate the current state of quality and explore how quality will be measured and improved in the future, probing both China and the NAFTA region. Sharland will detail the survey results during his opening remarks on the first day of the event.

Joshua Halliburton will deliver the keynote address at 1 p.m. on Sept. 17.  His remarks will focus on how the influence of globalization and shifting consumer perceptions of quality (as a result of ongoing industry improvements in product quality) are driving a focus toward more predictive tools to help identify and control the performance attributes that will drive customer satisfaction.

Peter Merrill's address on Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. will provide insight into how to restore creativity to an organization and use key elements of ISO/TS 16949 to develop innovation management as an extension of Quality Management.

The summit is open to AIAG members and non-members. Registration information and the full agenda are available at AIAG.org.

About AIAG
AIAG is a unique not-for-profit organization where, for 30 years, OEMs, suppliers, service providers, government entities and individuals in academia have worked collaboratively to drive down costs and complexity from the supply chain via global standards development and harmonized business practices. AIAG membership has grown to include preeminent OEMs, such as Caterpillar, Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Honda of America, Navistar International, Nissan, Toyota, and many of their parts suppliers and service providers. For more information, visit www.AIAG.org.

SOURCE AIAG