Wendy Curcuri Bauer

The U.S. is a dynamic and exciting mobility market that is dominated by trucks and SUVs that "work" beyond simply commuting. #Hybrid powertrains are an important bridging technology on the path to #electrification. I had the chance to share my perspective in Automotive News on this topic and how the industry can work together to explore new hybrid approaches that keep consumers happy while also reducing vehicle emissions. #mobility

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Kohler Energy to be operated as a standalone, independent entity to the rest of Kohler Co. following the closing of a transaction that will see Platinum Equity be the majority shareholder (Kohler Company will remain as an investment partner). Why does this matter? Well, Kohler Energy's product portfolio is wildly different to the rest of the Kohler Company (it manufacturers sanitary ware for kitchens and bathrooms and has a leisure resort business). The Kohler Energy portfolio contains Kohler Energy - Engines and Curtis Instruments, A Kohler Co., two companies focused on the off-highway and energy generation markets. There is a multi-billion dollar opportunity in the global transition to low and zero emission solutions in the off-road market - both in vehicles and construction sites - and this repositioning of Kohler Energy as a standalone entity will better allow it to focus on one of the major trends defining the industry. #gensets #engines #kohler #construction #zeroemissions #energy https://lnkd.in/da6B8NKF

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The 2024 AlixPartners Electric Vehicle Consumer-Sentiment Survey featured in this thought-provoking article in The Economist, including concrete data on the threat that cars from China might become. Reach out if you’d like discuss.  #EV#electricvehicles #Tesla #automotive  

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CAWA in Coalition Opposes SB 903 - A New Regulatory Program Update: The Senate Appropriations Committee today held SB 903, meaning the measure will not be advancing this session. A major win for CAWA and the coalition. This Legislation Stifles Innovation, Negatively Impacts Virtually Every Sector of the Economy Aerospace, Semiconductors, Clean Energy, Electronics, Medical, Industrial Processes, Agriculture ...Millions in New State Costs to Implement. A coalition of California’s leading job creators, innovators, manufacturers, grocers, clean energy producers, agriculture and others is opposed to SB 903 (Skinner), legislation that would create an expensive and complex new regulatory program at the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to regulate all commercial and consumer products that may contain, as well as any industrial manufacturing processes that may use, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances. See the Coalition letter enclosed. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, contact CAWA's Legislative Advocate Ryan Pierini at rpierini@mwcllc.com or 916.995.5323.

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I have pointed to the challenges that the automotive industry has had to get their salespeople to embrace EVs and help consumers buy as a cautionary tale for residential HVAC. Now, Ford Motor Company is leveraging AI and gamification to help dealer sales staff learn to sell EVs. Is this what the residential HVAC market needs to help train comfort advisors? #hvac #sales https://lnkd.in/gBJgvCTN

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"The grand reopening of the train station is the focal point of the past six years of work, but Ford’s broader mobility project, Michigan Central, has been building up momentum for the past year with the opening of Newlab. It’s a membership-based venture platform for startups with a focus on mobility, and the facility they’re in has a mix of offices, fabrication labs, and shared collaboration spaces where serendipitous collisions and idea sharing among entrepreneurs can spark new business ideas. Venture capitalists have offices on site to help these companies take form. As of June, 97 startups are operating out of Newlab, up from about 15 last spring, including many from out of state." Major props to Bill Ford and Ford Motor Company for the vision and commitment to not only rehabilitate this iconic Detroit landmark, but to establish the infrastructure to create the future of #mobility. #Ford #USManufacturing #FutureOfMobility #automobiles #automotive #cars #innovation #startups #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem #PublicPrivatePartnerships #leadership

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Woo hoo! Great to see my latest book is one of the 2024 finalists of the #IBPABens in the reference category! You can get your own copy here: https://lnkd.in/g-dWnX_7

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While everyone is talking about Tesla’s Supercharge network, I’m watching General Motors. Last week GM’s CEO Mary Barra spoke at the Detroit Economic Club. She described EV adoption as a “once-in-a-generation type of transformation.” In this interview she discussed; - EV adoption challenges - Charging station partnerships - Charging infrastructure concerns - Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill funding GM views the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure in the US as a major challenge to mass EV adoption. Here's what they're doing about it; ​​- Investing $750M in charging infrastructure through various partnerships - Building 2,000 charging stalls nationwide with EVgo and Pilot Flying J   - Installing (with EVgo) an additional 3,250 stalls by 2025 (1,000+ already installed) - Installing 40,000 chargers at local dealers through the Dealer Community Charging Program While Tesla is dominant in the modern EV market, GM has been in the game for 20+ years -- they built the first mass-produced EV (the EV1) back in 1996. Expect to see GM continue to play an increasingly large role in charging infrastructure.

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The Automotive edition of our 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing report is here! Hear from Automotive manufacturers across the globe on the technology that's driving the most ROI, how they are overcoming industry obstacles and more. Download now. https://lnkd.in/eceCiHUC ​

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Toyota Motor Corporation reported record profits, sales, revenue, and production in its just-ended fiscal year under new CEO koji Sato. However, the company plans to pull back on its expansion and reinvest its profits into suppliers, dealers, employees, and next-generation technologies like electrification and AI. Toyota will see a 20% drop in operating profit and 39% drop in net income this fiscal year as it makes these strategic investments for long-term sustainable growth. Key highlights include Toyota's surge in hybrid vehicle sales, which now comprise a third of its global volume, and its plans to increase EV sales by 46% this year. The company also supports its business partners through higher supplier prices, worker wage hikes, and dealer incentives to improve working conditions and recruitment. #toyota #recordprofit #salesgrowth #hybridsuccess #evinvestment #kojisato #financialyear2024

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"On the supply side, we've addressed the (battery) module issues and are on track to produce 300,000 vehicles this year. Our focus remains on building a platform for EVs that aligns with customer expectations. We prioritize avoiding overproduction and potential inventory surplus by not blindly producing without market demand." #AutomotiveIndustry #ElectricVehicles #Justintime #Justincase #supplychain #GM

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We just talked about this in class...“Cost recovery mechanisms should not be judged in isolation. Inflation-driven cost increases & adjustments need to be addressed in a timely manner that is consistent, tested, & institutionalized & supported by OEM & supplier cost reduction efforts.” From Plante Moran: https://lnkd.in/ebpCgDZw. 70% of new supplier agreements contain inflation driven economic adjustment clauses with the use of indices being the most common. https://lnkd.in/g_ByzrNU. It might be time for price risk sharing in buyer-supplier relationships. Has Strategic Cost Mgmt (i.e., Price Analysis) become a lost art? Tools we use to teach this: https://lnkd.in/gNrUtNU5. I have asked a lot of SCM managers how they “prepare” to negotiate price increase requests from their suppliers. In particular, I was curious about how and where they get their data from (i.e., CME, COMEX, etc.). Many said their suppliers provide that information. I am not convinced that using data from your suppliers is a form of “Preparation” for negotiation.   What are buyers to do? Procurement orgs need processes & “tools” to mitigate & negotiate on these requests in a strategic, data-driven manner (& we/I need to do a better job of teaching it). In our SCM program, we are looking at raw material market data from multiple sources, we will visualize & analyze historical pricing scenarios, & do some simulating on planned purchases & what-if scenarios against forward price curves. Stay tuned for our case study report based on price analysis & strategic cost mgmt research... Some of our alumni are already testing and / or implementing automated business processes based on such tools, serving as the basis for addressing price indexing implementations (formulas, economic adjustments, etc.) by champions in a few larger orgs, & we're following these implementations from an academic perspective. It beats updating color coded excel spreadsheets. https://lnkd.in/ghjfe3gh https://lnkd.in/gMuhMNf6 Automated economic adjustments: https://lnkd.in/gNrUtNU5.   Ongoing Study by WMU’s SCM Program  · Studying how orgs in different industries administer indexing & economic adjustments, their challenges, & how such processes may be improved  · Initial findings:  o Organizational ownership of process is not well defined  o Human error, lack of audit trail  o Lack of automation, requiring sufficient time & manual effort  o Limited collaboration & visibility  o Scalability issues o Data security & access control  o Limited integration Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$): https://lnkd.in/gwPfkdkK. #inflation #procurement #rawmaterials #supplychain

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At Enterprise Mobility, our founding philosophy is rooted in listening to customers and tailoring solutions to their needs. Learn more in this article about the long-term relationships that help move our partners forward. #EnterpriseMobility #IWork4EM

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Interesting take from Ford and GM on what the "technology bridge" looks like until zero emission technologies are more commercially viable. I also think we have to help define zero emissions. Well to wheel emissions should be more important than tailpipe. Regardless, a long way to go and as a country we will need a combination of everything available from propane, natural gas, hybrid to BEV. There is no single solution.

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I had to repost this. Who doesn't love a father/son story, especially in the automotive industry (talking from a very biased point of view). But this story is actually quite an important one, especially with so much noise and fear that AI is coming to take over the world and leave humans jobless. The story of Walter and Lou LaPlante at Ford Motor Company shows the incredible impact of human creativity in innovation. AI is designed to extend human abilities. In automotive manufacturing, AI systems improve efficiency and quality control, allowing for real-time defect identification and optimising production. However, these innovations still rely heavily on human expertise to interpret and implement AI solutions effectively. In automotive manufacturing in particular, the importance of human creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to make nuanced decisions should never be underestimated. Identifying areas of inefficiencies, and designing systems to enhance/speed up the learning curve/process is invaluable in innovation and adapting to new challenges. AI is a tool that works on information given. If we give it bad information, it will give us bad results. The human side is critical. As we continue to integrate AI into automotive manufacturing, it is important that we acknowledge and leverage the unique value of the human workforce. It is the same as a partnership, each side brings it's own expertise; creating a strategic partnership helps to improve, efficiency, quality, and innovation - and it is exactly the same with AI! This tech shift is the same as the transition from legacy automotive design to software-defined vehicle architecture. Just as roles have evolved in this transition, humans are not replaced, they just need to adapt. Adopting new opportunities in software and innovation requires us to shift our mindset, up-skill, and re-skill. If we do this, we can enjoy the full potential of technological advancements and stay ahead of the curve and not get left behind! #ElectricVehicles #AutonomousDriving #Automotive #SoftwareDefinedVehicles #Manufacturing #AI

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🚗 Big news from the auto industry and a huge step forward for electric vehicles (EVs)! VP Kamala Harris has just announced a thrilling $3 billion investment from the DOE to bolster EV component production. Here’s why this matters: American Axle & Manufacturing, a Michigan-based supplier, is set to utilize these funds to build a new facility in Detroit, bringing 1,300 new job opportunities to the community. The initiative is a key part of the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, which allocates a whopping $7 billion towards expanding EV and battery production capabilities. 🔋 As someone who has closely followed the transformation of the automotive industry, this milestone resonates deeply. I remember a colleague consulting with an auto parts manufacturer years ago, where transitioning to EV was more a distant plan than an impending reality. Seeing such substantial government backing now solidifies the shift towards sustainable transport as a national priority. This development is poised to reduce reliance on foreign parts, reinforcing the US EV supply chain. It's an exciting time, but some critics fear it may spike inflation or increase taxpayer burdens. 🤔 What are your thoughts on this boost for EVs? Will the benefits outweigh potential economic downsides? Share your insights or stories about how shifts in industry standards have impacted your sector! #ElectricVehicles #SustainableEnergy #ManufacturingJobs #InflationReductionAct #EconomicDevelopment #JobCreation #USAutoIndustry https://lnkd.in/gwdbnUnV

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