Sales Forecasts, New Benchmarks and New Purchasing Models: CAR MBS panels address key factors for success in the automotive industry

New Sessions Focus on Managing Amidst Moving Targets

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Numbers, both projected and actual, drive the automotive industry.  Sales forecasts are critical to automakers and suppliers as they begin their capacity planning and mutual contracting.  Consumer rankings of vehicles influence future sales.  And, purchasing remains a critical relationship in an ever-changing industry. 

The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) introduces two new sessions at the 2012 CAR Management Briefing Seminars (MBS), focused on sales forecasting and benchmarking in the automotive industry. A returning session on purchasing is also a highlight for the event, which takes place Aug. 6-9 in Traverse City, Mich.

On Tuesday, Aug. 7 the "Where Have All the Sales Gone?" morning session will feature a leading panel of vehicle sales forecasters to make their case for where sales will be trending in the next five to 10 years. The panel represents automakers, dealers and knowledgeable consultants, and it will provide information useful for making decisions on both future investment and hiring throughout the industry.

"Several years after the recession officially ended, U.S. auto sales have recovered, but perhaps not to the level they should, said Dr. Sean McAlinden, chair of the session, and CAR's chief economist and executive vice president of research.  "Clearly, considerable uncertainty still hangs over the automotive market. It is essential for suppliers to get the most accurate forecasts possible of future sales."

Session speakers include:

• Ellen Hughes-Cromwick –  chief economist, Ford Motor Company;
• Jeff Schuster – senior vice president, LMC Automotive;
• Anthony Pratt – director of forecasting, The Americas, Polk; and
• Paul Taylor – chief economist, National Automobile Dealers Association.

Automakers are also facing new challenges in distinguishing their products in the eyes of the consumer. Industry scores across vehicles today have reached near statistical insignificance in quality, performance and safety. The Wednesday, Aug. 8  "What Do We Benchmark Now?" afternoon session will feature a panel of today's most influential benchmarking services and automotive analysts to discuss what new measures are being used to benchmark products in terms of quality and technical features.

"Not only the industry's products, but also its internal operations have greatly improved over the last few years, making it necessary to establish new benchmarks for capturing these dynamic changes," said Bernard Swiecki, chair of the session and senior project manager at CAR.  "Speakers in this session will address these developments, providing attendees with new perspectives on the new targets and on how to measure progress."

Session speakers include:

• David Champion – senior director of automotive testing, Consumer Reports;
• Jim Hall – managing director, 2953 Analytics;
• Michelle Hill – vice president, Oliver Wyman;
• Michelle Krebs – senior analyst, Edmunds.com; and
• Tom Libby – lead analyst, North American Forecasting Practice, Polk.

Swiecki also chairs the afternoon purchasing session, "Money Matters:  The New Purchasing Landscape" on Tuesday, August 7, which will highlight new models of cooperation between automakers and suppliers of different tiers.

Session speakers include:

• Robert Young – vice president purchasing, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.;
• Jeff Klei – president, NAFTA Region, and vice president of sales, General Motors Worldwide, Continental North America;
• Michael Robinet – managing director, IHS Automotive Consulting; and
• Gary Baugh – senior director of purchasing, Power Technologies Group, Dana Holding Corporation.

The 2012 CAR Management Briefing Seminars, August 6-9, will take place at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. For detailed information, visit the event's website at mbs.cargroup.org. Follow the MBS conversation on Twitter (#MBS2012) for the latest updates, sponsored by Plex Systems.

The Center for Automotive Research is a non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Its mission is to conduct research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, organize and conduct forums of value to the automotive community and foster industry relationships at every level. For more information, visit the CAR website: www.cargroup.org.

SOURCE Center for Automotive Research