European Automotive Industry Suppliers' Head Highlights Role of Suppliers' R&D
BROMSGROVE, England, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
In an exclusive interview with just-auto, the head of Europe's auto industry supplier body CLEPA has highlighted the importance of research and development activity undertaken by automotive suppliers.
Jean-Marc Gales, the new CLEPA CEO, says that more than half of all research and development is invested by the supplier industry in the automotive business. The real core development work for many components is done by the suppliers - 75% of all the value-added comes from the supplier industry, Gales maintains.
"We are working on CO2 emissions, we are keeping the European industry competitive, that comes with high value, premium components and innovation," he told just auto. "Otherwise, Europe is not a low-cost region. I really believe and I will fight for it, that [Europe] will continue to lead innovation world-wide."
Gales also told just-auto that he is concerned with the long-term picture and believes that tougher CO2 targets are achievable for Europe's auto industry.
"The issue on my agenda is certainly the Cars 21 project, which is of the highest impact. It looks into what is possible after 2020 and what we need to do to ensure competitiveness for the long run.
"If we do not change things fundamentally, we are going to be left behind. We need to be aware we should set ourselves tough targets. In CO2, our clear belief [is] 95g is feasible but ambitious."
Aboutjust-auto.com
Established in 1999, just-auto is a leading online resource for the global automotive industry, publishing around 50 news articles, analysis features and insights every working day. Under the direction of Managing Editor David Leggett, its experienced team of journalists, consultants and analysts provide a unique blend of automotive news, interviews and research that is delivered to over 90,000 business executives per month.
Via its website, webinars and QUBE, CONSULT and PLDB research platforms, just-auto offers insight into OEM and supplier corporate strategies, manufacturing developments, in-depth management briefings, supplier technologies and innovations, component market trends and forecasts and current/future car model programmes.
For details of how just-auto is "helping decision makers make decisions" visit http://www.just-auto.com.
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SOURCE just-auto.com
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